The Best and Worst of Times

In 1859, Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, opening with the following words, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

Is it me, or do those words written over 150 years ago not fully describe the world we currently live in? Indeed, we find ourselves in both the best and worst of times. This pandemic named COVID-19 has challenged us in ways we could not have imagined only a few short months ago and, for many of us, has opened new ways of being in the world, new ways of thinking and living. While we can curse it, it has also been a gift, slowing us down, forcing us to reconsider what is truly important, and creating new priorities for us. In other words, and in my terminology, it had been a giant roadSIGN.

Welcome back to the roadSIGNS column which after a hiatus of a few years is once again appearing in the SEEKER. SIGNS are those occurrences in life which cross our path and force us to ‘wake-up’, reassess, and perhaps even change directions. It is always about making a choice.

So here is my take on our current circumstances; the choice is ‘will we make it the best of times or the worst of times for ourselves and those around us?’ Taking the high road, the best of times, doesn’t mean being unrealistic, it simply reminds us of the choices we can make to lift ourselves and others up. The invitation is to sit back and ask ourselves what we have learned, and continue to learn, from this extraordinary event. How are we changing, adapting, improving….and trust me, we are! The good stuff may be a little blurry at the moment; you may have to dig for it but it is there!

As we continue to wake up and embrace this new reality, let’s join hands, support one another albeit at a distance, find ways to see the gifts and learn. Our world has changed, we are changed, and, while the world is different, I believe it will be better. I am looking forward to continuing the conversation with you and exploring how we can stay resilient, healthy and safe.