And Life Goes on…

As challenges surmounted on the home front and threw our lives into a tizzy all over again, my family and I have been doing our best to stay sane and cope to our best. But, there have been days when things have been really really rough for us and on more than two occasions, I had to resort to medication to be able to cope with the onslaught of things. In the midst of all this, mom caught the virus and with her history of bronchial asthma and malignancy, we had to ensure she was treated timely and properly and provided the best possible care, whilst in isolation. With deep gratitude, all I can say is, she fought it well and is now on the mend, still rather delicate but out of danger, which has been a great relief for us. 

And as we come to terms with life as it is unfolding currently, there are days when I can’t bring myself to think with clarity or write at all—the reason for me skipping my Sunday free-write, last weekend. If I were to be honest, I’d say I felt challenged, drained and hopelessly tired in the mind and body that day. Some days are like that. We shouldn’t expect to become heroes or climb mountains but simply lie low. The hope being that there will be better days ahead.

Of course, there are those days, when I find nothing to bring me any relief. And yet, thanks to the Universe, I keep up with my meditation practice and lap up every opportunity to read and rest my tired feet and soul, ready for every task that lies in store for me. A good night’s sleep has always been my best medicine!

And thus, life goes on…

One particular morning, this week, I was reminded of my big goal for the month that I had outlined early in January. Despite being seemingly challenging, it gave me something to look forward to. Being able to focus on new ideas for my projects gave me a tremendous burst of positivity and hope. It is now the reason for me to show up every morning, no matter how bad the situation gets.

Interestingly, I’ve observed, how, even in the face of adversity, a tiny feeling of adventure or excitement can keep us going long enough—maybe, that’s how resilient we are growing each day. With so much to keep my mind engaged in, and plan for, somehow I didn’t feel like quitting at all. And that in itself, was such a great feeling, that I can never sum up in a word.

Growing and learning through the rough rides, when nothing seems to be going our way makes us stronger and powerful in ways than we can never imagine during the good times. I’m in that phase of learning and growing currently and all I can say is, I’m utterly grateful that I can do so. I’m grateful that I’m able to appreciate my blessings in all that I have, to keep me going, day after day, of feeling hopeful when things don’t look great, of not stagnating when things come to a standstill, of not letting myself get pulled into a storm of negativity, which can be very tempting at times. 

The breath work holds it all together, I can say with certainty. As long as we breathe deeply and practice gratitude, we’ll never run out of strength to face whatever life throws at us.

Written as part of our #SoulfulSunday free writing exercise, along with my friend Vinitha.