"The American Spirit"

Today I woke up and for a few seconds forgot about the ever changing storm outside looming over us. Each day has seemed more uncertain then the last, scarier and more dreadful scenarios keep greeting my newsfeed. It was after I had made my second cup of coffee and I was busy questioning my decision to skimp on creamer that the most wonderful thing happened, my phone died. It was like the Sun coming out on an overcast day. I stood there in my fresh sweat suit not sure of what to do, it felt good, really good. Instead of scouting out a charger I set my cell on the table and walked away. I opened the door and stared intently outside at a beautiful Pine tree I often look to for comfort, the warmth of my coffee cup hugged my hand and I noticed a Chipmunk chasing another over the blanket of stubburn mountain snow. I felt envious of how carefree and uninformed the little Furrballs were. It was then that a clearer picture of reality hit me. Normally I'm not very clingy with my cell phone but the intensity of current events has had me hanging off every update. That device was infact harnessing me to a cloud of fear and stress enveloping everyone that tunes into it. What's happening right now is concerning and we all want answers, guidance and most of all for our "normal" back but the moment the schools closed in our country our "normal" was not coming back.

After my short meditation with my Chipmunk friends I knew in order to walk out of this intact I had to sit back and view this from a completely different vantage point. Holding tight at home and hanging off every word we're told is not the healthiest way to carry out our days in isolation. We must begin to form a new way of being, staying in the here and now and not allowing outside influences to fill us with fear and stress. The power of positivity reaches far and wide and the minute we switch from doom and gloom to "we will survive" is the minute we take our power back. This requires little work, just your mind and simple comforts. Just be and find that calm place whether its watching waves crashing ashore or tree branches swaying in the breeze. Embrace those moments and allow the serenity to carry away your worries. Be open to envisioning a brighter future, don't be afraid to imagine this will pass too. Don't be afraid to let yourself cry and then hold yourself. Recognize and release those trapped emotions that hold you back, use this time to repair your being. Find strength in our shared circumstances.

Just because our cell phones, lap tops and televisions are telling us the world is possibly ending, it does not make it so, yes, there is a lot of seriousness out there right now and we have a responsibility to make good choices but we know what we have to do and we're doing it. We are all in the same boat. Let's hold strong and dare to shine bright so those lost at sea can find their way. One other very powerful truth came to mind this fine morning and it's one I hope we all carry with us. We are Americans, the spirit of this nation rests in all of us and we have been through too much to break now. We might bend but we will never break. We will come back stronger. Trust in our strength as a whole and trust in yourselves.

Take a breathe, turn off your phone and only check your local news briefly, sleep well, drink plenty of water, eat well, call your family, friends and neighbors, lean on each other. We will pull through this together and I may never return to wearing anything other then a sweatsuit but that's okay. It's okay to laugh, to enjoy life. It's also okay to be light hearted and smile right now, the world needs it. Take care of yourselves and wake up with a hopeful heart tomorrow. Smile through this darkness, it will invite the Sun to shine on us all. That is the American Spirit, we dont break, we bend and we wont give up.