How we are in real life

 

Hello dear reader, I hope you've been well and that you've been taking good care of yourself. I'm just glad we have the weekend to rest, and that I'm able to do more of the things I love doing, such as writing and reflecting on how the days have been.

This weekend so far has been filled with lots of food and naps. I admit the work week has been a busy yet highly productive one, and so I figured I'd reward myself with those two really great things. ; - ) 

The first week of March has let me experience a full range of emotions. It could be a good thing, especially in a time when it's easy to feel numb from the lack of outside world exposure, yet could be a bad thing if these emotions are left unchecked. I'd like to think of it as an indicator that I'm still human and capable of being frustrated, annoyed, anxious..

These are all unpleasant emotions, I know, but they are real. This is how it is in real life, yet we don't really talk about it or maybe it's hard to do so at this moment, because there's not really anyone we can meet up with to grab a cup of coffee and have a good long conversation? (I'm still pretty much part of the stay home, stay safe party)

There's mostly just the online world right now, or rather our online lives. There is the online self we project for a couple of minutes, yet there is a full real life self we deal with for the rest of the day. We don't really mention the times we've cried, the times we've sighed out of frustration, or the times we've felt helpless. Not that we ought to share our whole lives online, but perhaps, if we choose to, a small circle is more than enough. 

All these thoughts have surfaced in my head when a colleague popped this question last week: how do you wake up feeling good about the day? It struck me a lot, because I don't always feel good. Or there's bound to be something that was not so good that happened in the day, but there's not a lot of conversation revolving around it because I could imagine that if we could, we'd simply choose to carry on. 

It was such a raw and personal query. Refreshing, if you ask me. I wondered where it was all coming from, and if it was coming from a deep dark well of turbulent thoughts and weariness. 

That one brave attempt to ask the question led to a deeper conversation. Others in the meeting started opening up about their own experiences of dealing with their own unpleasant emotions, how they cope, and the space began to feel safe in that moment. It can be really empowering, to know we're not alone in what we go through, and that we can get real with both our good and bad experiences. In a way, there is an exchange of perspectives, and it can really bring us out of the dark. 

In the midst of the sharing, I felt empathy radiating from the screen. It can be surprising how people are willing to listen and how they can be so candid in sharing their encouragements towards others. We'll never really know unless we open the conversation on how we're doing in real life versus what we consciously show wherever we find ourselves online (work, social media, etc).

Heavenly Father, give us this day our daily bread

Give us today patience, understanding, sound judgment, empathy, words to encourage others.. 

Another thought is that, I pray that I'm able to encourage others more, and may it be a genuine prompting. I don't think I'm able to embody all these things mentioned above if I were not to ask and receive all these from the Lord daily. Because it's difficult, and I face different work situations everyday despite still working from home, and I may not always have a good word to share with others nor can I always project myself happily. Yet I'd definitely welcome every opportunity to listen and to usher others into my headspace.

Tomorrow is another day to keep trying, whether it be in gaining a new perspective or doing things differently. In all these things, may it always be for the better. 

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I woke up later than usual this weekend, but I still went out for my walk. Photos used here are from this morning! Lots of blue skies and flowers lately, and although I'm not the biggest fan of the oncoming sweltering heat, I'm still looking forward to summer time. 

I hope you are having a slow and relaxing Sunday. : - ) 

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