I have been irritated, frustrated, fearful and angry at different points of time since lockdown began 77 days ago. I am told that its normal to feel like this. Lockdown leads to lots of mental health issues and there is more to come… is the message I get from others.
It is so easy to get stuck the zone of waiting for the day when things will go back to the ‘way they used to be’. “If only I could play tennis again…” each of us have a list of things we would so love to go back to doing or being. It’s so easy to get lost in dreaming about the world we want to be in and lose sight of the blessings of an ordinary lockdown day.
I was reminded of the value of an ordinary day last week when our little adopted doggie, Cookie, suddenly got unwell. Our ordinary Covid routine – Get up. Have tea. Take Cookie for a morning walk. Exercise. Bath. Log into laptop. Zoom. Teams. WhatsApp. Email. Bluejeans. Teams. Dongle not working. Lunch. More screen time. Tea. Webinar. And so the day races by.
This has been the routine for a few months now and it got turned upside down in a second. How little it takes to upset the ordinary day. Visit to the vet. Worry. Medicines. Sample collecting. Distress at not being able to understand what to do to comfort her. If only I could go back to the joy of having her curled up at my feet at peace with the world, while I am logged in to a screen, connecting with the world.
Those long tough days suddenly seem to be the things I wished I could have back. Thankfully she is well again and so is my world. I am zooming ahead once more, this time, filled with a new sense of gratitude.
This brings me now to the Sencha tea ceremony that I was introduced to by my son and what it taught me. Another reminder of how the power of the ordinary –lost, came alive courtesy a cup of green tea. I have been mindlessly sipping cups of the stuff through my many screen based excursions to different parts of the world.
My son opened my eyes to the ritual of savouring a cup of sencha. The last drops, as I was taught by him, are to be savoured and are called the ‘golden drops’. Some say this last drop holds the universe in it. The ceremony. The music. Thanks to google and YouTube who were his teachers, every little detail of this tea ceremony is what he brought alive for us, with care and mindful attention.
He turned my ordinary cup of tea into my savoured cup of tea. Take the ordinary and take another look at it. Don’t wait for a disruption to remind you of the power and value of the ordinary and the routine. There is so much to be enjoyed in an ordinary lockdown day. You just have to see it with fresh eyes.
Perspective can change the ordinary and make it extraordinary. So, I have changed my mind. Instead of saying this lockdown is not my cup of tea, I say “Pour me another cup, put the music on, bring out the best tea set we have and lets squeeze every drop of joy out of the day ahead”.
I intend to savour every minute of every ordinary Covid day. I will not let fear come in the way of finding joy. In the wet lick of a dog and heavenly drop of sencha tea – The Universe is mine to enjoy.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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