I had originally written this post about a year ago. I’m updating this post amidst the global coronavirus pandemic because so many of us are struggling with the unknown. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to let it be and what will be, will be.
My news feed is littered with stories of new infections, deaths of healthy people, economic crisis, families being separated, people dying alone, and shortages of supplies. It’s pretty difficult to not go into panic mode.
They have compared this crisis to World War II. Covid-19 has paralyzed our world, and we are all wondering what will life be like on the other side. When can we go back to normal? How many of us will succumb to the infection? Will we know anyone who might die?
One thing is for certain in life, none of us will make it out alive. And yet we forget because we had yesterday and the day before yesterday. We’ve had so many yesterdays that we forgot what it feels like to think that today will not be a yesterday.
After 34 years, I’ve had over 12,400 days, 297,600 hours, and 17,856,000 minutes. I can’t even think about how many breaths that is.
I’ve gotten so comfortable waking up every morning, that I have forgotten that one day I won’t.
What I’m trying to say is that I never really think about not having tomorrow. And I never really thought about what it would be like to live through a pandemic.
So when I’m faced with something that is so different from how I’ve lived my life or gone about my day, it’s very upheaving, to say the least. I have gotten so used to taking it all for granted.
I’m learning to embrace this period and the difficulties that are inherent to social distancing. I miss my family, and I miss visiting friends.
I miss a lot of things, and that’s ok.
I’m also thankful that most of my friends and family members are all ok and maybe watching a little more Netflix than necessary.
Basically I just want to say that everything is going to be ok. So much is out of our hands, and I’m going to let it be. What will be will be.
The Original Blog Post
You get on that roller coaster and buckle your seat belt. The cart starts to move. There’s no turning back now. As the cart slowly climbs the first hill, you keep thinking “why did I get on this!”
As you top the first hill, you have a decision to make.
Will you raise your hands? Or will you cling to dear life to the handlebar?
Statistically speaking, the chances that you will fall out of the roller coaster are pretty slim. It’s all out of your control anyway.
Seems like there are two main camps when it comes to riding a roller coaster. There are those that grit their teeth and just try to hold on for dear life and there are those that throw their hands up and embrace the wild ride.
Life is similar.
How much of life can we actually control?
Life is analogous to a roller coaster ride. We get on that roller coaster scared to death not knowing what drop and turn we are going to face. Consequently, we can either embrace the unknown or try to fight it.
I believe in destiny. Destiny is neither good or bad. It’s just a sequence of events that we are destined for and have no real control over.
Sometimes destiny is your backpack getting stolen out of your vacation rental car. Or taking 2 minutes to put on some shoes.
Sometimes destiny is meeting your life partner halfway across the world at a water fountain.
I am the most peaceful when I realize there’s so much of my life that I can’t control. When I don’t fight it, I can embrace it.
I can let it be.
I can raise up my hands, and let the roller coaster of life, take me through each turn.
Let it be. What will be will be.
I choose to embrace life’s little unknowns.
