Same Storm. Different Boat.

22 Apr

While Mahatma Gandhi once said Dignity of human nature requires that we must face the storms of life, this present storm, the way we face it and the impact it will have on each and every one of us, will be incredibly diverse.

In the midst of disruption, there are commonalities. Heightened reactions, moments of confusion and clarity, and concern for safety and security. Human nature dictates we do what we can to save ourselves and then look around to offer a (socially distanced) helping hand.

We react in a thousand different ways because how we think, feel, act, need, want, hate, love and believe, stem from a huge variety of factors from our past experience, our resilience, the extent of support we have available, the size of our bank account, to where we’re positioned physically, socially, economically and emotionally.

While some may have anchored calmly, and others adjusted their sails towards rainbows and pots of gold, we cannot underestimate the emotional gale and financial swirl that this storm has brought upon many.

Let’s remember those who took a battering or were engulfed. The splintered, the shattered and the shipwrecked. Those awash with debt, or hunger, grief and overwhelm. There will be depression and desperation, charity and chivalry and hopefully magic and miracles. Some will screech. Others will rage. If the norm and the perspective is different to our own, it can be hard to get our heads or hearts around.

In the aftermath of rumbling thunder, lightening strikes, clouds of darkness, pandemics and downpours of terror, those of us who can, must try

to be tolerant
to be open and slower to judge those whose situations are different to our own
to call upon all the compassion we can muster
to offer hope
to express our gratitude to the many captains who worked tirelessly to keep us as safe as they could
to be good humans and conjure up whatever acts of kindness we are capable of
to do what we can (and then some more) for those left trembling, to help put them together again.

That’s the collective way through this.

(Blog inspired by amazing words written by Martin Stimpson from the UK.)