Today Honore' asks "How has (your 2020) word shown up in your days? From these tender April days, I pulled a few scattered thoughts.
Words spin webs of multiple perspectives. A strand of the web branches to reconnect with a day or a thought elsewhere. In January, I chose the word, tender. Tend is embedded in that word. To tend is to gently consider. Whatever I tend to shapes my hours and days. What am I tending during these days in the pandemic?
Webs are sometimes blown by the wind and torn apart. Some days I feel a deep sadness at the number of deaths and loss of health. Each number on a graph represents a life and the totals are overwhelming. I am very sad about the way this disease disproportionally affects people not fortunate enough to have a safety net. Even though Nebraska has low numbers compared to other states, I read (tend to) the statistics because I want to honor the loss.
As restrictions are loosened, what is my tender, my currency? What do I value? That is, what are we, what am I willing to risk/exchange for the health and safety of my community? There are no easy answers.
The spider repairs a web over and over. As I tend to loss, I nurture hope found in the dandelion and wild violet growing through landscaping ties. Spring days, warm sunshine, and changing skies all turn the earth toward summer and abundant growth. As I hold the sadness, I also tend a wild unreasonable hope that this season is a doorway to a more just society. As my daughter says, "after the storm comes the rainbow."
Your daughter's words...Perfect! Thank you.
ReplyDeletePicking a word, for the year, is interesting. But something I have never done. Nor have I ever made "New Year Resolutions," as many people do.
ReplyDeleteWe each travel, on our own path. -smile-
Your view of what we tend to, is similar to the idea, that what we hold in our minds, determines our life. And they both sound valid.
But being individuals, we each have a different view, of what is worth 'tending to'....
For me, when I hear that a person (especially a person I know) has died, I concentrate on the fact that I am alive. Is this, "The glass half full"?
Sort of the same, with the deaths from this pandemic. Not exactly the same!!! Just sort of...
Death is as much a part of life, as is birth. Individually and personally, it is devastating. But any/all deaths, from multiple reasons, are part of the life cycle of humans, and of all things, on this planet, and in the universe, actually.
All this, just a bit of discussion, on your interesting blog entry...
Let healthy go back to work...
Compromised people,
Still stay home.
🌱💛🌱💛🌱💛🌱💛🌱
I love this post. Your words are so true and so tender. Stay well, my blogging friend. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Jane. I too feel sadness for the lives lost, I feel concern for the toll all this is taking on those in the healthcare industry, I feel concern for those without a safety net. It feels good to look outside and see that nature nurtures us in small ways - and I am grateful for that!
ReplyDeleteJane, that was just lovely . Rainbows will come. I believe they will. The losses have been overwhelming. My husband said today we went over the line and have lost more than in the Vietnam war. Really? How can that be?
ReplyDeleteLet the warmth that is coming encourage us, heal us and allow to see a beautiful world of nature which always finds a way back.
Lovely, thoughtful, well-considered, and tender thoughts. Thank you for sharing them, Jane. I am better for having read them.
ReplyDeleteJane, you have so eloquently shared your thoughts -- thank you. It is so hard to see the numbers of those we have lost and think of the long-term impact on our communities. And yet the natural world is constantly reminding us right now that even after the winter (actual and proverbial), life does come back.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post -- and a lovely way of looking at the world and our place in it right now. Thanks so much for sharing! XO
ReplyDeleteLovely post! I keep hoping we are closer to the day when I can see my kids, I miss them so much. However I've had lots of time to think about what I value most.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jane, for sharing this. I love the strength of your words. Tend(er) does not mean weak! ...and fwiw, I don't think your wild unreasonable hope is all that wildly unreasonable. or maybe that's just my hope.
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