Doomscrolling is so 2020
I went to bed last night with, GET THIS, a book.
It’s about a hundred year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared. (Literally, that’s the title of the novel). And okay, not until I wrote that sentence (I swear) did I think about the fact that the reason I am reading this book is because another (nearly) 100-year old man just clambered up a jet bridge and disappeared.
Oh to be free to read joyfully again. Of course I’ll still follow the news, but oh to follow the news at a regular hour, perhaps with a coffee … instead of late into the night, blue light emanating from the covers on my side of the bed … worried about the nightmares that might await, not in my dreams, but the morning.
I’m not going to flog the ubiquitous dead horse here. There’s enough to read out there about the change in the air.
I’m most interested in how WE intend to change? On a personal level.
How many less hours on Twitter? How many more novels? How many more ways can we change the world? Or our communities? Or even ourselves with a few more moments of self-care each day.
On New Year’s Eve, I shared a poem with a group of friends as we talked about our hopes and dreams for 2021. This Mary Oliver gem reminded me of the transition from 2020 to 2021, and what we hold on to and what we can let go of. Maybe it will speak to you as well?
Storage
When I moved from one house to another
there were many things I had no room
for. What does one do? I rented a storage
space. And filled it. Years passed.
Occasionally I went there and looked in,
but nothing happened, not a single
twinge of the heart.
As I grew older the things I cared
about grew fewer, but were more
important. So one day I undid the lock
and called the trash man. He took
everything.
I felt like the little donkey when
his burden was finally lifted. Things!
Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful
fire! More room in your heart for love,
for the trees! For the birds who own
nothing - the reason they can fly.
🕊
What did you let go of in 2020, and how will you fly in 2021? I’d love to hear.
Wishing you a healthy and happy year of flight!
