19 March 2020

thoughts for a pandemic - a collection part 1

You may have been told all your life that there were certain things you needed and certain things you needed to do, but it turns out that you don’t need most of those things and you don’t really need to do anything. In fact, nothing would be better for the world right now than if we all stopped trying to achieve things and said, “We no longer believe work will set us free, it is the opposite, in fact,” and behaved accordingly. There is nothing to achieve right now except to insist that the only achievement is caring for others, and not caring specially for family or friends, but in caring for every person as our family or friend.

Sarah Miller 

I cannot help but think that every injury and slight and pain, is what gives us value, that life well lived is an accumulation of such.

Louise Wareham Leonard 

And the people stayed home. And they read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And they listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live, and they healed the earth fully, as they had been healed.

Kitty O'Meara

8 comments:

Colette said...

I would love to believe that this pandemic is a cosmic time out, and when we are released we will behave better.

My life so far said...

I especially love that last quote by Kitty O'Meara. Thank you.

ellen abbott said...

we won't. people will just go back to their habits.

ellen abbott said...

I saw that the canals in Venice have cleared up and you can see fish in the water and that swans and porpoises are swimming in the canals. The earth likes this respite. Like Colette, I wish that this pause in human activity would lead to different behaviors on the part of people but I have no hope. People will just go back to their same habits.

37paddington said...

That Kitty O'Meara quote gives me chills. My mind has been circling around that thought, and her quote gives me a measure of courage to simply think them, to hope them, and not append the cynical "if only." Thank you as always for the treasures you share, dear Sabine.

Steve Reed said...

I've said to Dave, I hope that people are keeping track of this pandemic's side effects on the planet. Like, what's happening to carbon levels in the atmosphere, with so many fewer people flying and commuting? And yeah, what are the implications for our own health, our sense of community and meaning?

Sandra said...

What an uplifting post. Thank you again.

am said...

Your blog is a thought-provoking place that I am grateful for. Following your links leads me to places I may not have found otherwise. Sending love.