We’re not in the same boat...

I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it's not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.

Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.

For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee. For others, this is a desperate financial & family crisis.

For some that live alone they're facing endless loneliness. While for others it is peace, rest & time with their mother, father, sons & daughters.

With the $600 weekly increase in unemployment some are bringing in more money to their households than they were working. Others are working more hours for less money due to pay cuts or loss in sales.

Some families of 4 just received $3400 from the stimulus while other families of 4 saw $0.

Some were concerned about getting a certain candy for Easter while others were concerned if there would be enough bread, milk and eggs for the weekend.

Some want to go back to work because they don't qualify for unemployment and are running out of money. Others want to kill those who break the quarantine.

Some are home spending 2-3 hours/day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2-3 hours/day to educate their children on top of a 10-12 hour workday.

Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it. Others don't believe this is a big deal.

Some have faith in God and expect miracles during this 2020. Others say the worst is yet to come.

So, friends, we are not in the same boat. We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.

Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not just looking, actually seeing.

We are all on different ships during this storm experiencing a very different journey.

Uncredited.

Special Update

I am certain I needn't point out the obvious, but these are extraordinarily difficult times for a lot of people, on a lot of levels, and I hope everything is going well for you. I get the sense that this will go away as swiftly as it came about, but only time will tell. This experience is having all sorts of impacts, for me, it was an invitation to see the difference between the ephemeral and the truly valuable; I almost had the romanticized notion that it would bring our conscious awareness to the ways in which we have acquiesced to unsustainable systems (again, on so many levels). But, it seems that we may be squandering the opportunity for deep reflection and serious consideration of the seeming turning point in history we find ourselves in. The good news is, that while we collectively may not move the needle, we can individually do it. And be the change we so desperately need. After all, the collective is just the collection of all of us. Stay safe, stay grounded. It is always darkest before dawn. With gratitude, David ------------------------------------- Due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic, the office has been closed since 3/18/20 and will remain shut down through 4/9/2020 - given the ever-changing nature of the situation I will have to reassess opening once we get there. In the meantime you can purchase gift cards for friends or family right here :)