I'm breaking from my one-sentence commitment because the past 24 hours warrant more than three words.
Like all of you, I watched the news in horror last night.
The TV news was blaring as I made shepherd's pie for my family. The electoral college vote resumed while I was in a virtual college counseling meeting for my high school junior. I caught up on the news before retiring to bed at 10:00.
It's a weird juxtaposition to be eating salad while members of congress are swept out of their chamber to undisclosed locations.
This morning, I walked my dogs, listened to news podcasts and thought about what to say. Three words came to mind:
- Attention: Pay attention. Witness what is happening. Let your emotions move through you. Last night, I wanted to eat bread and ice-cream and disappear. Numbing is not the answer. Keep your eyes open. Stay awake and conscious. See the world out there and yourself in here.
- Equanimity: Equanimity is the state of mental calm and a strong core, even in the face of extreme difficulty. In my morning meditation today, our teacher talked about "strong back, soft front," the combination of equanimity and compassion. Find your inner calm in the midst of the chaos. Your world needs your steady presence.
- Routine: Daily life must continue. You are a powerful human. You can handle complexity. You can do hard things. You can still eat salad and walk your dog. Routine brings comfort and like the United States Congress who got back to work within hours of personal terror, routines and rituals mean something. You can stand on the bedrock of your routines when your inner and outer world feel shaky.
I certainly don't profess to have all the answer in the midst of a complicated and painful situation.
And, I hope this is helpful.