What's true right now...
In October 2019, my community experienced a series of electricity outages. All told we were without electricity for 2 weeks, executed in bursts of 2–5 days at a time. That time felt so disruptive, and yet… look where we are now with a global pandemic.
At that time I rooted myself into my systems and routines. A lot of things could happen without electricity, including gathering for writing class. Here’s some free writing from then with the prompt What’s true right now…. This prompt grounds you into the present moment and helps to reel in a spinning mind. Give it a try with a 10–15 minute timer set and let your pen flow.
In this moment, today, 6 months later, what’s true is that I’m grateful for electricity and technology for a level of connection it provides in these trying times… although I feel most calm and connected when I write, walk, read and workout, all things that require no electricity. Hooray for simple pleasures that also reduce anxiety.
What's true right now…
What's true right now is that I'm content. Our community lacks electricity, and yet I feel recharged. I will let go of the notion of not having power. Don't give power away like that. PG&E doesn't control my own personal power source.
What's true right now is the movement of the pen. The world is not so quiet — there’s no remembered hush from downed power lines or blackouts. Our community knew this was coming, so generators and music create a cacophony previously filled with birdsong. People are home rather than working.
If I listen deeply, I hear the wind, the one who takes the blame for this situation. Bustle has slowed a notch or two. Fewer cars rumble by, although planes pass high above. Somebody somewhere has movement, momentum… a way to coordinate and check in.
The new normal invites me to downgrade my own energy. Calm the internal vibration. My phone has stepped up to support this downshifting. It resists sending message, and prefers to receive them in big batches once or twice a day.
Life feels grand this way. Spacious. Being on call and on notice for every bing terrorizes me. In the early tech days, I checked email once or twice a week, whereas walking to the mailbox to see what arrived was a daily occurrence.
What's true right now are those things always true. Love. My values: beauty, freedom, vision, bravery. Those all stand true. Am I living in all of those? In this moment I can't be sure. That may not be true right now.
