Much is written around the changes in our lives from staying sheltered in our homes. The isolation, the digital connections found, and the emptiness of having no where to go. Our calendars are empty because a little virus chose to travel the world.
What I have recently discovered is that the sun rises every day. And the darkness of night takes its place in a day’s rhythm. Our days before were a blur due to our busy schedules. There was no time to enjoy this certainty, as day and night playfully switch positions to a regular cadence through the ages.
Why life hasn’t changed as much as we boast. There still is laundry to do. Meal preparation. Showers to be taken. Loved ones to take care of under one roof. No different than our grandparents’ routine. Technology has not changed these simple necessities of life. Our shelter in home isolation has given us an opportunity to discover this once again.
Certainty disappears though, when looking in the mirror to see who we are. Especially during these times of quiet. The sun rises every day but who am I today? Were we only defined by the places we go and the things we do, directed by our stuffed calendars and to do lists?
The sun rises every day, but in reflection, why were my days so different? My moods so varied? My patience tried? In the quiet of these days, I feel I am the same person that I was before this little virus travelled.
Is it the content of our lives that define us? Or is it our beliefs and world views, things that we hide from others, that tell our real story? Was it our collision with others, as we try to each live our lives, that shape who we are? Are the challenges that confront us the only way to find answers to these questions?
It is comforting to know that the sun rises every day. And that the night dances to the same rhythm. There is some joy during these quiet days. Even with our time to reflect, question and explore. For finding truth amidst stories, is a challenge that all of us face as well, through the ages.