Life on the beach. That is what people miss on a hot summer day. This is supposed to be a fun-filled dry season for families, groups of friends, coworkers, or solo travelers. But this season has fallen into isolation.
The last year's summertime was one of the best vacations ever. I never thought that it would be the last summer to get sunburned. The last time to enjoy the summer breeze and the serenity. The last time to leave footprints in the sand.
After several weeks, our economy and the rest of the world are slowly returning to life, but it may be hard for people to get back to life -- the kind of life we used to live.
While viewing my digital photo album, I saw smiling and happy faces. I saw how we used to celebrate family gatherings without physical distancing. I saw how we used to travel and go to public places without a mask. That was just a recent past, but now it feels like we have wholly entered a new world; with a new definition of love.
The new normal is tough love. When families at home couldn't even give a hug and kiss. When old friends or acquaintances couldn't even recognize each other due to facial protective covering. When partners couldn't hold their hands. And when young kids and our elderly are best protected by staying at home. All these for the sake of love -- love on the new normal.
But I still believe in a profound human connection. We may still be able to give a smile to someone we know or anyone we meet along the road. A new definition of a smile -- a smile of gratitude on the new normal.
Our new normal is not only about hygienic measures. It goes beyond our new lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle where most people will give their utmost priority.
We will now be more health conscious and eat the right kind of food, get some physical exercise, get some nourishment from the sunlight, plant and harvest our own food, get adequate sleep, prayers, meditations...
Activities that nourish our body, mind, and soul would be most important. We stay away from worries, fears, and anxiety. Though at times it's normal to feel that way, we can still escape, regain our best selves, and live our most extraordinary lives.
For now, we may have already learned some tools and techniques as we move on to a new normal. You may now have known to quiet the mind and relieve stress through meditation. You may have learned the art of flexibility of the physical body through yoga or internal stamina exercises. You may have started doing backyard gardening. You may have learned to follow your passion for visual/digital arts like painting and photography. You may have started to love reading books, articles, and blogs. You may have found joy in sharing your passion through vlogging.
At this time, we must have overcome our Fear zone and moved to the Learning zone. And now, as we start living on the new normal, we are entering the Growth zone, where we have learned self-mastery and become a higher version of ourselves.
A lot has changed in a matter of weeks in isolation. We may now still be dreaming about that planned summer vacation. You may now be ready to explore what awaits you in the new normal.
Circumstances may have changed, but hoping they will not change our being, our beliefs and values, our humanity, and most of all, our faith in God.
© 2020 Del Cusay
