when we get the chance to start over 90/366

starting over can be:

frustrating:

many of us have faced a time we thought "it's almost over"-and then something happened, and we weren't as close to being done as we thought we were.

for me, recently, it was finishing my quarantine 

I was just a few days shy of it being two weeks since I'd been in public shopping

I was so close to knowing that the cashier who sneezed had not infected me,

nor had any of the shoppers I'd seen 

and I hadn't unknowingly shared anything with them

then I hurt myself, 

I sought safe medical attention 

an unexpected guest showed up

and the clock began again

starting over can be:

frightening:

some of us have been forced into an unasked for, uncomfortable, unwelcome place 

someone has carried a disease or danger into our world

maybe they knew

maybe they didn't

maybe they had a choice

maybe they were forced 

or perhaps it was just a series of unfortunate events that landed in our lap

regardless, "it" is here

and we have no choice about whether or not we deal with it

starting over can be:

refreshing:

most of us have been in situations where we needed, hoped and prayed for and welcomed a reset button

wrong choices

odd or sad circumstances

situations beyond our control

whatever led us "there", 

we needed and were looking for a way out

I feel that in many ways COVID-19 is forcing all of us to start over

none of us have ever faced what we are facing now

as individuals

as neighbors

as communities

as a nation

as a world

I'd like to think that if we stop and consider what our life is now

we can see there are before us priceless gifts, 

treasures we can hold onto,

ours for the taking,

ones we would not have without this experience

when this crisis is behind us

when we are free to start living "normal" life again

I hope we do not necessarily pick up where we left off 

I hope we refuse to carry what would be better left behind

I hope we continue the worthwhile new habits we have formed

I hope we do not lapse into taking an ordinary day for granted

I hope we don't get lazy

• mentally
• emotionally
• physically
• socially
• spiritually

I hope we start over better than we were before