KATHERINE GORDON | TAOS CONTENT CREATOR AND EDITOR
There is no doubt that 2020 has brought many lifestyle changes, which we experience both on a societal and individual level. Although each of our experiences of 2020 are unique, a common thread seems to be the notion that our lives no longer feel like our own. Though many of us have accepted and embraced this feeling in order to keep others safe through the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that we are all waiting for something. Waiting for 2021. Waiting for things to feel normal. Waiting for better times. It reminds me of one of my favorite poems, “The Station” by Robert J. Hastings:
“For at a certain hour on a certain day, our train will finally pull into the station. Bands will be playing, and flags waving. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and the pieces of our lives will fit together neatly, like a jigsaw puzzle. So restlessly we pace the aisles and count the miles… waiting, waiting, waiting, for the station.”
So, how do we keep from feeling like we are simply waiting, when it may feel like waiting is all we can do?
Our lives have undoubtedly become smaller, our work, our social lives, and our alone time all confined to the same space, but this means that every activity that we do becomes a little larger, a little more meaningful. Suddenly, our morning coffee is a decadent treat, our daily walk is a grand adventure, and a movie night is a trip to a foreign land. How can we keep ourselves looking at our unusually simple lives with wonder each and every day?
According to Dr. Barbara Frederickson from University of North Carolina, we need three positive emotional experiences for every one negative experience in order to prevent ourselves from feeling drained by negative thoughts. During a stressful time in which our typical activities are limited, we need to be more resourceful in order to create and notice these positive experiences. However, though our lives are currently limited, we can take this time to notice patterns in our happiest moments and uncover passions that might otherwise be overlooked. As Hastings says:
“…sooner or later we must realize that there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.”
So, what moves you in this journey? When everything is put on hold, where do you find your happiness? Start a journal. Keep track of these moments. For every negative emotion you feel, try to think of three good things that you have experienced, no matter how big or small. Carry this with you into 2021 and beyond. You might just find that your current life is more full of life than you had thought, and that the journey can be just as fulfilling as the destination.
