I love the quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, “People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle."
I continue to be amazed at people... yes, just people being people. It takes a huge amount of courage to continue to show up to life every day, especially right now when everything around us feels so hard and uncertain. Between the train derailment in Ohio, the death toll in Syria and Turkey rising to over 40,000 from the devastating Earthquake 12 days ago, near daily mass shootings in the United States, unprecedented inflation across the globe, and the constant uncertainty of a (sort of) post-pandemic world, it truly does feel like a miracle to get out of bed and face the day. And honestly, some days I spend more time wrapped in my heated blanket than I do walking the Earth. Life feels hard and heavy for a lot of people right now, and we are all attempting to process the collective and individual grief that has accompanied life on the planet right now in whatever way we can.
So yes, I agree with Thich Nhat Hanh, every day we ARE engaged in a miracle, and I would say most people most of the time don't recognize it. There is the miracle of life on this planet, the nature that surrounds us, the plants, animals, and systems that keep us alive, the beauty of every sunrise and sunset, and so much more. Then there is the miracle of humanity. Yes, we do a lot of whack-a-doodle things, AND we do a lot of amazing things. We love each other through hardship, grief, abandonment, and loss. We support complete strangers who need help. We continue to live our every day lives without knowing what tomorrow will hold. In general, we care deeply for ourselves, our loved ones, one another, our pets, and our world. It is a miracle that living in this world does not harden our hearts, but makes them softer. That hardship leads to compassion and empathy. And no matter how many times we have been burned, we still reach out a helping hand. That is a miracle.
So why am I saying all of this? Because I want you to know that I see you. That's right, YOU. You are doing a really good job right now. You are doing the very best that you can. And I would like to suggest that you take a few deeps breaths and lighten up on yourself.... No, seriously. Stop reading and take 3 deep breaths. Tell yourself, "I love you". Think about what you have accomplished today. Even if today has been a stay in bed under the covers day, you are awake, reading a blog on the internet, and living. Call today a win. Miquel Ruiz reminds us in The Four Agreements that our best changes from day to day, moment to moment, and phase to phase. So what if you aren't as productive as you were 4 years ago?That person hadn't successfully navigated a global pandemic. You aren't that person anymore. Cut yourself a little slack and see yourself for the miracle you are. Be amazed at your courageousness. I sure am.
Comments