Quarantine Survival Guide: Will you see the moon?

Today, I flipped open one of those pocket Zen books that are great decorative buys and lead to a few days of morning quote look ups, but often gather dust on the night stand for the remainder of their lives. And now I can safely say that today, months after purchasing it, I needed it more than ever to give me some perspective. Hopefully what I came across will give you some too.

“Barn’s burnt down – now I can see the moon” – a haiku written by Mizuta Masahide

Let’s pause for a second so we can let it sink in. Different people could see the situation reflected in polar opposite ways. Do you lament the burning of the barn, or do you rejoice in the reintroduction to the moonlight? Years from now when we are describing COVID-19 impact to our children and grandchildren we will have this very choice. This isn’t about over simplifying and saying things are dandy for everyone in the world. This is about seeing the bigger picture if you and your loved ones aren’t directly impacted beyond having to observe shelter in place or quarantines.

If you are sitting here reading this, and know where your next meal is going to come from, then you really do have the choice to take a step back, observe the world around you in a way previously difficult to do, be grateful for health and sustenance, and rejoice in the many small joys you’ve got in life. Easy to say right? Let me put this in practice for you… although Earth has only one literal Moon, I’ve got a few metaphorical ones…

1. The realization that humans around the world can come together to face a challenge, that our resolve isn’t easily broken, and that we truly know how to care for people previously unknown to us. And this is true of just about everyone, whether this be the brave and selfless people on front lines fighting for their patients to find relief, or the people in the streets of Italy singing together from their windows and balconies to share their resolve and come together in tough times
2. The newly recognized truth that all it takes to feel loved is to know that you’re being thought of no matter the distance (and hence I will forever make the effort that was previously lost in the everyday hustle – thank you video calls)
3. The understanding that wild parties and fancy dinners aren’t the true mark of happiness, and that one could, if they choose, be happy with a cozy blanket and a book. If you fuel your very basic interests and passions, you achieve happiness from within. Some of my happiest times in hindsight didn’t even involve a hobby – they were those when I truly wasn’t engaged in anything in particular and they stay with me, close to my heart, because something from within was enough for a smile to be born
4. And last but not the least, the epiphany that we are supremely adaptive and all it takes is a positive mindset to undo a day that doesn’t feel too great. We have this weird habit of describing our days as good or bad and describing them in a way that suggests total lack of control, but really we have all the control to change our day by changing how we think about it

So, let me ask you again… years from now when you’re remembering or describing this unique phase of our lives, would you talk about how the barn turned to ashes, or would you talk about how you rediscovered the moon?

PS: The picture is of a lemon plant I’m growing from scratch. It is a symbol of hope and life at the moment (and also my only proof that there’s a remote chance that I have a green thumb).