Finding Joy Amidst Ruin
Collapse
We are experiencing a collapse – of systems, practices, life as we knew it. It seemed to occur suddenly, but actually was in the making for a long time. Elements of life were deteriorating before our eyes. Some saw this and others did not because the deterioration was gradual. Now, the deterioration has accelerated and many aspects of life as we once knew it are gone.
It has taken a while for the magnitude of this collapse to sink in. We are seeing it now, as elements of our lives disappear. It is disorienting. In some cases, we do not know what to do in their absence. New practices, points of view and actions are called for. Our minds, emotions and bodies must adjust.
In a collapse, things both fall down and fall away. We can deny, accept or try to reverse what is going on. Really though, as things collapse it is best to observe and acclimate. Initially, it may not be a time for action. We need to understand what has happened, before we can find the way forward.
Debris Around Us
Some of us are sitting now with debris all around us – lives that have changed, people who are gone, new isolation, worries about the future and a radically changing world. Hopefully, the debris has not fallen on us or harmed us beyond the fact that it is there. The debris is evidence that radical change is underway. It is time to look around.
This is a time, not only of transition, but of transformation. As a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, great change occurs. First the caterpillar breaks down completely in the cocoon. Its cells dismantle and give off energy. At a certain point, the inner cocoon is a mess of destruction and unrealized transformation.
➟ My book, Chrysalis: Personal Transformation From The Inside Out uses the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly to inform our individual transformations, as the world collapses around us.
Are we ready yet to start picking up some of the debris? We can begin, step by step. Picking up entails recognizing what has fallen, deciding how to dispose of it and accepting that it is no longer part of our lives. As we do this, space opens up, where the debris once was. It is empty space with nothing to replace the debris yet.
A Glimpse Of Something New
Some of us have been able to gain glimpses of something new. Some have been imagining and desiring change for a long time and now see the empty space that can be filled. Others may have picked themselves up amidst the destruction and now see possibilities that were not visible before.
It is like sunlight streaming in through the ruins. It is open space. We can turn towards this sunlight and allow it to shine on the world we are now in. The destruction will not seem as dark. We can see what is around us more clearly. We can pick ourselves up and begin to move. The sunlight warms our faces. We begin to feel better.
What do we do with these glimpses of something new? We define and expand them. We believe there is a new world we can build. We see if any of the debris around us can be transformed into something new. We set the values with which we will build this new world. We come together.
Finding Joy
It is absolutely possible to find joy amidst the ruin. Not only prospectively, but in the present moment. The collapse has created open spaces. Loss, while difficult, makes room for new things to come in. First in finding joy, is acceptance of what has occurred. This is essential or we cannot move on. Where is the joy in acceptance? The joy lies in seeing the world as it is. We are present to our realities and they are the best we have. Anything else is fantasy and does not serve us.
Then, we can turn our attention towards rebuilding. There is joy in imagining, in coming together and in what is possible. We can honor our highest ideals. There is room for them now. We can enjoy the work we have to do. We can hope and dream of what we will create.
Joy is always possible. We can find it in any situation, as we open our hearts and minds to the present moment and what is possible.
I can see joy ahead. I’ll be watching out for it and doing my part to create it.
photo: Jeremy Bezange, unsplash.com
Coaching for a New Era!
Find out how you can make the most of these times!
Sign Up Today for a Complimentary Call
MORE OPENINGS
Commitment to Growth
Ready for Openings
The Year of the Fire Horse at Mid-Point
Archives