May Reflections:
Aloha! It has without a doubt that life has been a whirlwind of sorts! Especially being the most recent Cohort for Happiness U amid the pandemic. I almost feel as though my time in the cohort has been ever so brief given the many unknowns and uncertainty of our current times. While most during this time are finding new ways to make meaning with all that is unfurling, I was pressed with a major decision to assist a family member in need. In doing so, this required me to travel across the U.S. to Florida to be with a loved one for some time. A decision I did not for-see making, yet it was an emergency. Truly, traveling during this time is nearly otherworldly. I found myself questioning the ‘reality’ I was engaging in at every moment while traversing through different airports for my connecting flights. The act of social distancing felt like a mental ‘mantra’ but the embodied practice on the flights was nowhere near observed, as each of my flight was full! Aside from these personal frustrations, the trip in its entirety also shifted so much within me. I left O’ahu with an intention to hold compassionate space. In turn, I came through the other side peeling the layers of grief, confusion, anger, heartache, empathy, sorrow, and acceptance in the face of a loved one experiencing addiction to prescription drug use. Since my return, I have been personally healing and have honestly not engaged in the current course work. As I reflect on how much my internal world has shifted as rapidly as this external world is shifting, I also have been digesting on a question that has been circulating in some of my circles of, ‘Do you desire for things to return to normal?” The short answer, yes AND no. While my experience of traveling to Florida and back may not be as comparable, I recognize the value of my internal transformation and the depth that has been carved into my being because of this experience. I would not be who I am in this now moment without having moved through some of what was the most challenging, nor would I be who I am had I not allowed myself to feel, slow down, integrate, and heal. Thus, while I do desire the normalcy of being able to be free to roam without fear of others safety and my own, I hope that as a collective we will emerge from this with a new sense of being and much more rooted, both in the heart and with one another. May we find ways to honor this great pause and remind ourselves to celebrate both in the troubles and joys with each other. Wherever you may be in this journey, I honor you.
