A Great Wind Carries Me

As someone who's in the habit of being in warrior mode when the proverbial shit hits the proverbial fan, this pandemic has been one of the hardest lessons for me in retreating. Typically I keep my weapons at the ready to fend off the dragons while I make my way through the unknown wood. You know, every day stresses that can make our lives a living hell. When I'm in this mode I usually slow down only when my body gets sick. Then I'm all, "Oh ya, I forgot about that balance thing." Well, right now more than ever I realize how much I need that "balance thing." Not as a nice-to-have, but as a way not to lose my mind. To stay grounded and centered for myself and for those I love. Truth is we often don't know that we're stressed, sad, anxious, in crisis mode, until we're forced to slow down. I suffer from anxiety, and at the start of the pandemic, I experienced waves of anxiety when I realized that I had no control over what was happening. Yet through daily meditations, walks, dancing, writing out my fears, and connecting to those I love, I managed to get through it. Although like physical exercise, it's a daily practice of grounding and trying to be present. The anxiousness never really goes away completely, but at least these tools help me to weather the changes. Over the past several weeks I've finally given myself permission to slow down, to not know the answers, and above all to play. It seems almost cr