Intention In A Time Of Quarantine

I have had this theory milling about in my head for some time… I believe we see more beauty in things the longer we allow ourselves to experience them and this goes for places, people, and ourselves.

I first had this realization as I was on a run through some trails by my house. The flowers were blooming, the colors morphing slowly as the sun rose, and a mirror-like reflection sat atop the water alongside me. I remember when I first moved to this area from the Pacific Northwest I had found this nature preserve quite underwhelming, even dismal, by comparison to what I had known.

And yet, in recent years this place has become a sanctuary for me, a space to watch the seasons develop and explore life off of the asphalt Southern California is known for.

I followed this thread of insight to my relationships and realized that I have a greater appreciation for my wife after 12 years of marriage than I ever could have had in the early days of being together. Same for my friends, whose personalities become more nuanced and interesting the more time I spend with them.

And then we arrive at an unprecedented place… QUARANTINE.

We now exist in a moment where we are forcibly confronted with more time spent in close quarters with our families and with ourselves. The daunting premise of this has heightened our levels of anxiety and continues to challenge our mental fortitude with its ongoing uncertainty.

But what is all of this teaching us?

I am seeing families doing puzzles together and neighbors taking daily walks. I am receiving facetime calls from people I haven’t spoken to in months and checking in on family members more frequently. We are being forced to get creative with our days, so we are building forts inside, dressing up, and finger painting.

Our influencers during this time are nurses and doctors, not globe trotters. When we choose to get takeout for dinner it is a noble act and we feel great about supporting local businesses because we truly are supporting local businesses.

Here’s the bottomline…

I am floored by the creativity of humanity to thrive and care for one another during this time. When the busyness is stripped away, we have more time to spend finding the beauty in the present.

Thank you to everyone who is taking this weird moment in history to choose inspire us with your generosity, sacrifice, and humanity.