“When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.” — John F. Kennedy
I recently read this quote that someone had posted on instagram and I looked up the context. President Kennedy spoke those words in 1959 during a speech at the convocation of the United Negro College Fund in Indianapolis, Indiana. I was struck by the the gap of 61 years from when that speech was first delivered and how we need that quote more than ever in 2020.
Crisis. Danger. Opportunity. Without a doubt, we are living in a time of real and present danger. The crisis called Covid19 has interrupted the rhythm of our lives, and I’m hard pressed to think of someone who hasn’t been touched by the effects of this spreading virus. Many of us have friends or family who are sick with the virus or who have sadly passed away. We’re existing in a time of mass confusion and living with the fear that every email, phone call or text message we receive could present a new dose of bad news.
But in light of this moment of fear, I think we’re also being presented with an opportunity to move forward toward a new space, a new phase of life, with a greater sense of focus and clarity. In this time of isolation we have an opportunity to gain clarity on basic things like what we spend our money on or who we spend our time with. We can get clear with ourselves about why we go where we go and what we do with the time we have. Clarity on how we perceive wants and needs, abundance, health or success. We can also gain clarity about bigger ideas like our beliefs, including how we define our practices and obligations. The accumulation of this clarity can help us see what is truly serving us and what isn’t. That’s good news!
I get a lot of grief for being a positive person, that my buoyant attitude is not always realistic or accessible. I realized that my optimism is really just a chronic case of great expectation. There’s a Psalm (5:3) that says,
“I lay my request before you and wait expectantly.”
This passage is a reminder to simply pray and then wait with the expectation that the answer to our prayer is on its way. And while we’re waiting, it is our duty to keep our hopes UP. We have to be on the lookout for the goodness. We don’t want to miss it, and if our hopes (eyes, hearts, minds) are turned downward, the answer to our prayer just might pass us by.
Whether we pray to God or the universe or to unicorns, now is a really good time to strengthen our resolve with the understanding that no matter how long we wait for vaccines, cures, solutions, our loved ones, jobs, trips, Broadway shows, dinner parties, etc., all of these things are on their way. We must stay uplifted as we wait with great expectation of their arrival.
That crocheted butterfly street art I captured this week reminded me that caterpillars must hold great expectation that they will one day have a life changing transformation. They surrender to their cocoons and close themselves off from the only world they know. And they wait. And wait. Their reward is definitely worth it.
There are so many amazing essays and musings being passed around, perhaps you missed the lesson of the bear. I cannot find the source of this, so I’m sorry I’m sharing it uncredited.
“When a bear goes in to hibernation, they do it for the health of their community and themselves. In the winter, food is scarce, hibernating allows other animals to have access to the limited resources. It slows the spread of disease and viruses among other animals during a season when immune systems are lowered, and energy is limited.
It is also a time of conserving health for the bear, a time for reflection... it is a time that allows you to renew, to undergo change, to honor your place in life and food cycles.
It is not a time for anxiety or fear. When it is time for hibernation, a bear can finally relax. All of the stress of finding food, territory, and a mate disappears. The bear believes that they have done enough and trust in themselves. They know this process is necessary and they will come out the other side renewed.
Be the bear. Stay home. Rest. Know you are doing this for something much bigger than yourself."
And while you are home you must eat healthy snacks! Perhaps the news of the world has pushed you to have a month of stress eating. We don’t have much control of the outside world, but we can have some control regarding what goes into our bodies so let’s make good food choices for the next month of this quarantine. Feeding ourselves, families, and neighbors will give us a sense of calm and joy. We can feed our fears with better-for-you treats and feel well nourished on the other side of this. These are no bake and can be made with little helpers without the worry of getting burned by a hot stove.
Almond Butter Chocolate Oat Cups
my version of @healthwithvictoria’s recipe
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Topping:
6 ounces of your favorite chocolate (I use Lindt sea salt bars for all of my chocolate bar baking needs.)
1 tablespoon almond butter
cacao nibs (or sprinkles or chopped nuts or chocolate chips)
Combine all the base ingredients in a bowl. Prepare a mini muffin pan with non stick spray. I use a 1 oz scoop (which is 2 tablespoons) to measure out even portions. fill the muffin cups, pressing the mixture down to make a crust. Put the tin in the freezer while you make the topping. Melt the chocolate and remaining nut butter in the microwave in 20 second increments until melted and smooth, stir to combine. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove the tin from the freezer and pour the topping over the cups. Top with cacao nibs.Place in freezer for an hour. To store, keep in the freezer or fridge. So easy. so good. Thank you Victoria!