“Alone again… naturally.”
This Gilbert O’Sullivan song blasted from a hybrid car that normally
drives up silently. With its windows
down, it had just dropped off one of my neighbors, now stumbling into his home ‘hugging’
a 6-pack – this time, not beer, but a 6-pack of toilet paper like a child would
a stuffed animal. He was smiling as if
he had won the lottery, delighted to somehow find some from the stuff with nationwide-wide
barren shelves that were attacked by human animals in panic-stricken doom.
The timing was epic – as it was just announced on the news a
few minutes prior, we’re officially on “stay-at-home-mandate” in isolation, as
the entire state now hunkers down, closes nearly all businesses-except for
government service, and essentials sending employees to ‘work-from-home’ and millions
now jobless.
After everyone began receiving a barrage of COVID-19 emails
– we understand what is here. It was at
this moment, I looked up and said “THANK YOU” – my eyes needed to see what I
just witnessed and capture it as if my eyes were cameras to share this with you
right here and now.
If I had not been news zombiefied trying to stay informed
myself glued to updates, while exhausting my multi-tasking energies sending out
press releases to announce a PR client’s event postponement earlier this week, I would
have been quicker to pivot to write this blog and get it out earlier to
share.
It was one of those oh-so-sad, but with streaming light ‘pristine
cinematic moments” that any Director of Photography would be salivating for as
punctuation to bizarre movie.
The reality check is
that this isn’t a movie ….. This is
our life 2020, ironically a number that is about ‘hindsight’ … but
something most humans did not believe they would see coming as
we’re seeing it in its full magnitude.
At a time like this events throughout history and centuries, peace, humanity, compassion, love, patience
and kindness are imperative for life to go onward. It is essential.
If history has taught us anything (even those of you who yawned in history class) --- We should automatically be doing this every single day anyway, but the Universe has made its wake-up call to everyone and is asking this of each of us to do even more so right now.
Right now, we have a “new normal” we have to abide by with
our own individual responsibility to do that safely, responsibly with the
optimum goal of health and well-being at the forefront.
The thing to remember at this time, is everyone is doing the
best they can with what they have with where they are…. And for many, it is a
mass adjustment.
I have lived through the 1994 earthquakes, California
wildfires, L.A. Riots, bird flu, swine flu, MERS and SARS, and dealt with the upheaval
and rebuilds with many post 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Irma and more,
and what I have witnessed time and time again is that we can and will get
through this, but it takes E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E.
My parents who went through the U.S. Japanese Internment Camps taught me what survival looks like, what will, grit and tenacity look like and how survival, even when you think you don't have anything left within you -- you DO, because it is belief in your purpose that will get you there.
They gave up a lot... their livelihoods, land, belongings, home, all of their dreams, wishes, and initial journeys only to start over. There were sacrifices made for me to be here. Thus, I know my purpose... I am to remain strong, survive, be grateful to be alive each day, and for every little thing (even for witnessing scenes as I described at the top of the blog). Every moment we are alive to experience what we see and do matters and to make sure previous sacrifices stand for our existence right here in the present.
The question of humanity is – did you learn something from
all of those events in history through your own families legacies about yourself in how you would choose to act or react
differently from those times? Do you realize your purpose NOW in this moment has a purpose to be grateful to be here for the sacrifices your families have made?
How have you changed to do something differently from your own lifetime's challenges and events? Are you kinder and more patient,
understanding what it took back then to be a better person with what we’re
facing NOW?
The bigger question at this moment we all need to ask and
remind ourselves….
Do you believe in yourself and your purpose through this
time?
Purpose is the root-base in being. It is important not to
lose sight of yours.
Everyone has a purpose. Rather than lose sight of yours, it
is a time to use what you have with where you are and understand that your
being here right here, right now is that purpose.
For many of you who are joining the millions calling
everyone from your doctors, former employers, service workers, information
lines, getting your necessities from the store, your tax people, health care
providers, and even your local government offices, asking ‘what is next’ and ‘where
you go from here’ etc. – be sure to THANK EVERYONE…. They are doing their
purpose, they are being here for YOU right now and they matter in this
equation, just as you do with yours in where you are going next.
Even saying THANK YOU to all of these people can be YOUR
PURPOSE – they need you, just as much as we all need them.
It is in this place of thanking those who are acting with
purpose that you will be given help at a time when you need it to get back to
yours.
Do you believe in the power of a collective will to unite,
regroup, resurrect and reinvent, and rediscover? This is your time.
Perhaps you have shelved something for a while – a hobby or pastime
or even things you’ve procrastinated doing.
This is the time to do that. In
doing it, you may reignite within you a part of you that has been
forgotten. This energy is like fuel for
your psyche, your soul, your spirit to spark you at this time and put your
brain on a fresh wave you denied yourself of living your status quo.
Do not allow your spirit to be squashed in waiting for the
information that you feel is being spoon-fed oh-too-slowly like anticipating
Heinz ketchup to pour out of a bottle while you are on hold listening to elevator music. Instead, celebrate the hardworking earth
angels on the ground are also questioning things for themselves, as well.
So take a PAUSE, take yourself out of your own
shoes and put yourself in theirs for a moment as you see how fortunate you are
that you have access to help. Everyone is needing it right now – and THIS IS
COMMON GROUND. It is a time to understand this, with heart and great compassion.
If you are feeling isolated due to the public health
officials encouraging us to be on lock-down and distance ourselves – this is a
time to connect in other ways that have ignored when you were in busyness mode
prior to this pandemic.
What we are being shown right now is a chance to:
·
Appreciate what you have.
·
Take some quiet time for reflection.
·
See where you default in distracting yourself and
uplift your spirit with something you enjoy.
·
Train yourself to sit with your feelings, own
them, process them, allow yourself to FEEL, because it is your human right.
·
Understand that this serious shutdown is for us
to start to prioritize in our lives what truly matters…. Answer the question, “What
matters to me most? What have I been neglecting?”
·
See that all those ‘excuses’ you gave yourself
about ‘not having enough time to…..’ now you are being given the time to
address it.
Emotional and spiritual work right now is probably something
you have not done in your day-to-day living.
You can honor this place within right now, recognizing the value of
introspection.
From here, making that phone call, video chat, email, or
even sending a handwritten note in the mail take on a completely different
vibration and mindfulness context, enriched with greater understanding and
connection.
If you are by yourself, you
are not alone. There are others just like you and your emotional wellness is
vital to your total well-being. Your own purpose is essential to the greater
good and it is your inner-strength that is the light to carry you through. You
can connect with other like-minds, spirits and hearts at this time. And yes, Lovely Souls – I am here for you,
too!
For those of you who do not live alone and with your
families, you have an opportunity to reach out to those who do live alone and
make that difference, and that is your purpose throughout what we’re
experiencing right now.
Everyone’s purpose is being here – right now to do the work
necessary as you are with what you have, with where you are. You can make someone’s day with gratitude
appreciating them in what they are doing.
With that, Lovely Souls – I say THANK YOU TO YOU… thank you
for being here – we are LINKED to this purpose of being in this together.... let's exercise this privilege in showing who we really are in compassion, love and in supporting energies for the highest and greatest good as we move through this.
Sending strength, support, blessings and light – wishing all
of you safety and peace not just during this time, but always.
Namaste.
Stacey Kumagai
