Connections, Comfort, and Positive Energy
We are already in peak creole tomato season and “Coronacation” has given way to a post pandemic world. We are still figuring out what the new normal will be and I get to decide what I want my new normal to be. No matter what that looks like, I do know that I need connection. Dr. Ned Hallowell calls it “Vitamin C.” How can we put ourselves in a position to give and receive comfort and coziness? How can we beam out loving energy? Only now do I truly appreciate all the chance encounters and spontaneous small talk that occurs in my life. They seem so limited now so I must make a conscious effort to create connection, in a safe and socially responsible way of course. When I think of all the wonderful people that used to cross my path, oh how I miss them! How can I make the most of my limited casual acquaintances now? These connections are vital for our social emotional wellbeing. They get us out of a turbo thinking highway of toxic worry. They help ground us and bring our awareness to the present moment. Best of all, when we laugh and smile, we send positive energy that is contagious and rebounds back to feed us. Even with a mask, our eyes can smile too. And so yesterday, at the grocery store, I marveled at the glorious bushels of creole tomatoes and expressed my delight out loud. And two other people concurred and praised their beauty and deliciousness with extreme gratitude for our good fortune of having access to such bountiful and exquisite produce. And I felt such love for these strangers and for the moment we had shared. And I think of them when at home, I can smell my creole tomato without having to wear a mask, and I smile. How lucky can a girl get?