Plot Twist - Be Kind

 On May 29th, all restrictions were lifted in Massachusetts. The vaccine was touted as highly effective. The vaccinated population was told to go forth and resume all their activities. The unvaccinated population were encouraged to get vaccinated and mask up. Cases of COVID plummeted and then "plot twist" - the Delta Variant.

As new data emerged, new guidelines for mask wearing and social distancing were put in place to try to contain the sharp uptick in cases.

With an uptick in cases came an uptick of anger and frustration. It seems as though soul lessons that were learned during the pandemic of 'we're all in this together' with kindness and compassion breaking through the once vile diatribe of the previous Presidential administration, is slowly eroding. People expected that with the vaccine, a carefree life would resume just in time for summer. 

The pandemic to date has left restaurants short staffed and tempers flaring. It's sad to hear horns honking as soon as the light turns to green. Fear and confusion seem to prevail alongside a sense of bravado in the face of the variant as people attend concerts and go unmasked indoors.

There was an article in the Boston Globe about people lying in an attempt to get a booster shot even though there is no data to support the potential benefit of a booster shot before the end of September.

The anger, fear and panic can be infectious. We noticed that we were getting impatient with our neighbors who have a tendency to walk through our yard and not respect the boundaries of our property. We were going to have a fence installed but then opted for small trees to create a 'natural' boundary. The day came for installation and we were anxious about spending the money with the general uncertainty of the economy these days and realized that we needed to be more open-hearted and kind even when others were not acting in kind.

Kurt Vonnegut's quote came to mind:

We called the contractor and explained our concerns. He had done our walkway earlier this year and we gave each of his team extra money. We opened our yard to them while they ate their lunch making sure they had what they needed for their big noonday meal. We explained the situation to him and Tom asked him what he wanted for his trouble since he was about to get the trees to plant. He said, "You are my friend. You don't have to pay me a thing. Let me know when you need me." I cried as he spoke from his heart in his thick Brazilian accent.

We had a ladder down on our yard where the trees were going to go to mark the boundary. We took it up. It felt liberating to open our hearts and realize that we ARE all in this together. We are all One. 

The divisiveness and rancor from a year ago when the pandemic was raging has returned. We are blessed with strong leaders in President Biden and Vice President Harris. It is up to each and every one of us to do our part to promote kindness and practice compassion especially ourselves as we ride the waves of emotions and experiences that the pandemic has left in its wake.

The pandemic 2.0 is definitely a wake up call for us as a family. We are going to be kind and compassionate with ourselves opening our hearts and trusting the Universe provides as it always has throughout our lives. 

I discovered this meta meditation in my Facebook memory:

May I be happy and have peace of mind
May I be healthy and strong
May I be free of suffering and safe from internal and external harm
May my life be of ease and well-being
May I have a compassionate heart filled with loving kindness
May I be free
May all beings be happy and have peace of mind
May all beings be healthy and strong
May all beings be free of suffering and safe from
 internal and external harm
May all beings have a life of ease and well-being
May all beings have a compassionate heart filled with loving kindness
May all beings be free

As we navigate COVID 2.0 may we all dig deep to have patience, compassion and kindness with ourselves and one another.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my website to learn more about my journey of transformation in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.

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