& cleaning out old files as this spring cleaning seems to extend out the whole year analogous to this quasi-sheltering that drags on with no clear scheduled end in sight. A little pat on my own shoulder and tooting my own horn … years later. Fresh out of college, one of those “first” jobs – not a career-just-a-job job, entry-level-job before going on to bigger and better things – haha – I worked at a college town’s bank branch and I found a copy of a “Commendation” letter from the management from that time – when you are young and kind of stuck at a job you don’t care for but you still do the job – here’s an excerpt:
This is to commend you for the manner in which ou conducted yourself during yesterday’s robbery. Your complete adherence to bank procedures and your maintenance of composure together helped to ensure the safety of both our staff and our customers.
Being the victim of a holdup is not a pleasant experience. By your actions you have set a marvelous example for your fellow staff members to follow.
I know that I speak for Management of the Bank in expressing our sincreerest appreciation to you. Thanks for a job well done under very difficult circumstances !”
SOOOO it was not quite the dog-day-afternoon – not the entire bank holdup but just lucky me hold-up – lol – Yes still heart stopping scary and one of those nightmares where your headspace turns stark white and you find yourself saying to yourself “no, this isn’t happening to me, no”. I recall FBI agents questioning me about the suspect after the suspect made the escape. Few weeks, months? later – cannot recall clearly – I ended up at a Police Station to identify a suspect at a lineup room – a new experience for a 22 year old – trying to identify that guy at your windor that day – and you know – this is why I bring this up – I really could not make out who the actual suspect was even though the robber stood right in front of me… a short guy, for that reason, his eye level was same as mine- he did not wear a mask and I saw his fanatical eyes right in front of my face within a foot face to face at a gun-point. Even then, I could not really 100% be sure to point a finger among the 4-5 men on the lineup who stood in front of the one-way window. I recall the young-me, totally baffled not being able to identify with 100% fool-proof confidence. Such is human perception placed under unusual state of panic – like a poor dear caught mid-cross a path with car’s headlights into their big dark eyes of fear.
(So that’s why, I don’t think we should be so quick to condemn and judge another human being unless we are absolutely sure beyond the shadow of doubt he/she is deserving – which I know is tough for victims rights perspective.)
What does this little vignette from my past have ANYTHING to do with today’s health and wellness? It’s about how many of us are placed under very stressful and traumatic experiences throughout our lives (my little brag-story I am sure pales in comparison to many heros and victims out there) BUT we always come through them and come to tell about it with some sense of pride and dignity. We all carry that within – that spark of power – strength – toughness. We might burst into tears fom fear, tense up; stress out; lose sleep but …with time as the healing balm, we forget and move on.
Today, many of us are so stressed … Mindfulness practice will further assist in :
- unraveling those knots of tightness and tension
- undoing those obstructions for energy to flow free, not stuck, frozen or locked up.
- lighten those burdens to bring about that sense of lightness
- ushering out the toxins and waste to fill up with more energy and vitality.
- integrated & whole …integrate into a whole person that you are, body, mind and spirit …Integrated and Balanced.
I am not looking to work out to get fit – I am looking for ways to feel well by working in …and finding the essense of my FLOW – that natural state of ease and clarity. Yes, it’s work; it’s an effort. It’s a … practice
Taking things in stride … is possible in spite of all the reasons we have to feel derailed, stressed, and anxious – taking things in stride during a pandemic is possible with a solid unwavering practice.
Cutlivating the Resilience to Taking “Things” in Stride … in midst of a general feelings of frustrations, anxiety and … sadness as misery is an infectious disease as much as Covid’s.
