Are we willing to learn what they have to offer? Where are your teachers in these “pandemic times,” and what are they helping you to understand?
Experiencing Wisdom
We can find wisdom by listening to the people who have made a lifetime of studying how diseases move through communities. These people are primarily interested in the facts and do not have an agenda beyond sharing what the science has taught them. They offer insights and ideas that have worked in the past and can keep us safe during these dangerous days. Their wisdom rises out of intense study over a long period. This wisdom has grown alongside others who have reviewed their ideas and agree with their conclusions. If we have the ears to hear, they have a great deal of wisdom to share.
But these experts do not have a corner on all that we need to learn during our exile. They can help us survive, but they have very little to say about how we can thrive. Wisdom to thrive requires a wider net.
Consider those who have had experiences with bits and pieces of our “hunkered down” lives. Many people made do with long periods of isolation. Many people adjusted to life without face-to-face meetings. Many others fed their family when all they had was beans and cornbread. They learned how to discipline themselves when their resources were limited, but their responsibilities were expanding. These folks have something to share if we are able and willing to listen to their stories for insights and ways to cope.
We may also find wisdom in listening to those who appear to be dealing with their fears and isolation effectively. They may have stumbled onto something new, or they may have learned from others. If we admit our struggles and seek these effective people out, they will likely be more than happy to help us. Unfortunately, we may allow our ego to bottle up our feelings and pretend that we are “OK” when we know that we are not. we will continue to suffer needlessly if jealousy and prejudice close our minds to what they have to share. These people have wisdom for those who are emotionally mature enough to ask and receive it.
I will explore one more category of teachers that is all too plentiful in these chaotic times. These are the proverbial “bad examples.”
These folks have a great deal to teach us if we listen and learn with discerning eyes and ears. Some people are angry all the time. Others are foolhardy. Many are suspicious of anything that does not square with their worldview. A few people are using the suffering around them for their gain. They are driven by their fearful angry feelings. Many are unaware of their feelings and will not admit them to themselves or anyone else. They dress up their actions in a lot of words, pretending to be responding to noble ideas like freedom and courage. They cannot listen or respond to the needs of others. In short, they are fighting battles deep within themselves and do have not the time or energy to seek help. They are looking for confirmation of what their troubled soul is telling them.
These “bad examples” have a great deal to teach us. They demonstrate the importance of paying attention to the currents and storms that are raging within us. They remind us that self-knowledge is vital to surviving and thriving in this storm. They teach us the wisdom of getting help when our inner life overwhelms our ability to function in the world. They help us to understand that mental and spiritual health are just as crucial to our welfare as physical health, especially in stressful times like these. But without “the eyes to see and the ears to hear,” too many will sink into a mire of depression, anger, and guilt. They may lash out at others with these pent-up emotions.
Tip - Engage - Engage - Engage
Do not hole up and disconnect from the world around you.
- Stay engaged on social media.
- Stay in touch with friends and family through phone calls, zoom, Facetime, email, and texting.
- Read the CDC and WHO websites.
- Follow trusted news outlets.
- Read books, both the classics and modern genres.
- Watch old movies, especially those from eras when life was uncertain.
- Watch TED talks.
- Ask others how they are doing and be honest when asked about ourselves.
- Share recipes, crafts, stories, and other activities.
- Have porch, balcony, or fire escape conversations with your neighbors.
- But above all, be discerning. Do they have words of wisdom or are they bad examples? listen carefully and learn judiciously.
The keywords are “stay safely engaged.”
Listen for and observe the wisdom that is being shared. Let their stories inform you. Allow their journey to help you shape your own future story.
Engage – Engage – Engage
Blessings,
Bob