A Time to Pause and Reflect

A few weeks ago, here in San Francisco, the headline read, “100 days of Sheltering In Place.”  It made me think of the annual “100 days of Kindergarten,” event we have at the elementary school where I work, a time to recognize all the hard work and learning that has taken place.

We have passed through the threshold of 100 days, and more now, of sheltering in place. Some of us have been home more, while others have been taking care of us—like those in hospitals, grocery stores, banks, post offices, and other essential jobs. If you’re like me, you may be concerned about the next steps. As someone who works at a school, I’m worried about going back to a school campus.

Seeing this connection between the kindergarten event and our current experience makes me pause and reflect. We are in a time of asking ourselves: What am I struggling with? What do I actually appreciate and like during this time? What am I learning?

This is a time of both grief and relief—a time to slow down and appreciate the flowers growing all around us and in our gardens, a time to stop rushing around and feeding the restlessness within, and a time to get to know our family members in a new way (I never really knew what my husband did all day at work, and now I do).

I invite you to take a moment and reflect about what this time has meant to you:

• Begin by coming more fully into the moment by focusing on your breath.
• Feel your breath moving in and moving out of your body as you take three deep breaths. Allow the breath to help you come into this present moment.
• As you scan the landscape of your body, heart, and mind, reflect on what’s been arising for you during this time?
• What stands out for you? The longings, the losses, the love?
• What is something you’ve truly missed? What is  something you haven’t missed?
• What have you learned through this experience? What has it made you aware of that you’d like to either bring forward or let go of?
• Offer a heart heartfelt prayer for yourself, your community, and your world.

I encourage you to share any part of your reflection with a trusted person. The art of reflection is an important skill for each of us to cultivate as we move forward and seek to bring sensitivity, insight, and courage into our communities and our world.