Renewal. Fresh starts. St. Patrick’s Day with its surprising history.
Those three concepts come to mind as temperatures rise, greenery sprouts, spring holidays draw near, and COVID vaccines ripple out more widely. March is a good time to explore how to rise from our COVID ashes and consider options for renewal.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes,” said Marcel Proust, noted French essayist and novelist.
As we picture our post-pandemic lives, what “new eyes” will each of us choose to envision our inner and outer worlds?
Lens 1: St. Patrick as role model
Lens one is the ability of the human heart to mend, move on, and let go of the past as exemplified by St. Patrick himself.
In the year 390 when he was about 17 years old, young Patrick and his home were reportedly attacked by Irish raiders. His family lived in a non-Irish part of the British Isles then under Roman occupation.
The raiders captured him, took him to Ireland, and enslaved him for six years until he escaped and fled to what is now England, where he received religious instruction. Remarkably, he returned to Ireland to serve as missionary in the very land of his harsh captivity.
Despite becoming a patron saint of Ireland, the man known as St. Patrick was not Irish and may be a conflation of two people. Much misinformation exists about him, such as the notion that he drove all the snakes from Ireland. Since snakes never inhabited the island of Ireland, this may have been an allegorical reference to his efforts to drive paganism from the country.
As the narrative goes, Patrick converted over 100,000 Irish to Christianity and founded countless churches -- truly being the embodiment of forgiveness and loving-kindness.
Lens 2: Changing space, speed, spirit
Faced with decisions and dilemmas, people throughout the ages, have typically retreated to a new, often-remote space. There in the quiet they have tapped into wisdom and discernment.
Similarly, just changing our space and lowering our pace may serve us well in creating a more favorable inner climate for renewal.
It’s ironic that although we often discuss the needs of “the environment,” we may neglect the most fundamental environment of all – our own minds and bodies.
Lens 3: Take 5 each 25 for health
Here's a mind-body boosting tip: Dr. James Levine, in conjunction with noted natural health pioneer Dr. Joseph Mercola, recommends this: When focused and working seated at a desk or computer, set a timer to go off each 25 minutes. When the timer rings, take five minutes to walk, stretch, rest, and relax to get a better concentration and to promote health.
Why? Alarmingly, at least 24 different chronic diseases are linked to excessive sitting, reports Dr. Mercola. A healthy amount of sitting is three hours a day, his article notes, whereas the average American office worker (maybe most all of us during the pandemic) often stays seated up to 15 hours per day.
Lens 4: “Grow through what you go through.”
After space and pace adjustments, a wellspring of insight may arise from core spiritual values, inner vision, and/or our innate wisdom if we are paying attention.
While COVID-related sorrows, pain, frustrations, and wounds surely warrant attention, here’s another positive lens: "Grow through what you go through" -- a concept recently popularized by Tyrese Gibson, American singer, actor, and writer.
Despite the pandemic's profound pain, many people cite some positive aspects such as working from home or being with family and note that many important insights have arisen.
Lens 5: Daily Dozen for Personal Gains
For daily holistic benefits, we can ask ourselves these health-enhancing questions that prompt us to “check in” with ourselves and create daily positive action steps for well-being.
I ask myself today:
(Items 1-6 based on a posting by St. John’s UCC, Manchester, Missouri.)
NOTE: Saving these 12 questions and "checking in" using them regularly may be another key to wellness and renewal.
Renaissance in small steps
As we enter this special season, each of us may benefit by asking, "Moving forward, through which lenses will I view life and choose my action steps?"
The time is ripe for each of us to help launch a "post-COVID renaissance" – one person, one day, one small action step at a time.
Pat Thompson, M.A., M.Ed., of Dover is an "actively retired person.” She has enjoyed a career as an educator in Delaware’s public schools and colleges, ultimately earning certification as a holistic life coach with emphasis on wellness and personal success.
