Good morning friends! Around the world our lives are changing each day. It was easier at first to continue on, adjust, and stay positive. For some of us it has been 1-2 weeks living and working from home. Probably, most of us watch our state and national news at least once a day. Maybe we check in with friends who are in the medical field for personal advice. It is hard not to worry after a while. It is a challenge not to wonder if your sniffles, sore throat, or cough is…IT!

Personally, I have been focused, structured, the cheerleader, mentor, creator of projects, doer, and exerciser, but today is different. Maybe it is because our son might not be able to visit us for a couple days from the local college due to the concern of the “what if?” Maybe it is because that weird feeling in my throat [that I have been telling myself is allergies] is getting worse.

I think I have reached a moment, not critical, but of deep reflection. So, what if I really am sick with it? How does one deal with that? Where did I go wrong in my daily routine and decision making? Did I do every thing I could? I would have to say 90% of the time I did.

Washing my hands way more than normal. Spraying the house with Lysol. Not traveling as much to run errands but still…did I need to go to the grocery store that many times? Did I have to go to the barn twice as much as usual to ride my horse? [Any self respecting horsewoman would say, “Yes.”]

Then, the concern becomes “what if I have infected others?” It would be hard not to feel responsible for spreading this thing.

It is a miracle that every school staff member and student does NOT have it! So, if I didn’t get it, while teaching school, then why on earth and how on earth would I get it now?

I am quietly ruminating through this blog about what may be going through many of our minds. So, now what?

What would a truly Mindful person do? Or at least what would someone trying to maintain their Mindfulness do about these thoughts?

Here is what I keep going back to. The movie Frozen 2 was eerily timely for our current situation. If you haven’t watched it I highly recommend you do. Yes, it has a happy ending but so many fabulous metaphors and parallels that it will actually make you feel better not worse. Here is the one phrase from the movie I keep going back to, “Do the next right thing.”

How perfect is that? It encompasses so much in one sentence. Eat right, exercise, be kind, be loving, be thoughtful, DON’T GO OUT IF YOU DON’T NEED TO, wash your hands, meditate, pray, read, create something lovely, and don’t panic but be vigilant.

As I sit here typing, feeling not quite right, that is what I am going to do today.

The first thing is to start a project I saw about how to make either a bird feeder or a wind chime using a wine bottle! The bottles are soaking in the sink right now. And I am going to create a Facebook group to include my entire family so we can keep in touch.

Thank you for allowing me to share the real deal. I will keep you posted while I live my best life day by day, doing the next right thing.

Gratefully,

Mary