Riding the Covid Wave - II

We all know this is a strange and difficult time. The uncertainty of what to expect has been hanging over us for the past nine months. Jobs, routines, caring for and connecting to loved ones, grief and mourning rituals, have all been turned upside down. How to right ourselves? Personally, pulling back from activities was a choice I made pre-pandemic. In my last blog/newsletter Riding the Covid Wave, I reflected on the uncertainty of the time. That was April and uncertainty continues to hover over our everyday activities still. I have observed in myself a “holding back”. I don’t mean holding back in isolation because of fear of Covid or imposed health measures. I have a healthy respect for the virus. It takes a lot of energy juggling what we can, or should do. For the most part I can live with that but am concerned for all in our communities that struggle with the immediate effects of this pandemic.

My holding back is not depression either. I believe it’s my creative spirit being dampened, perhaps in response to this time, perhaps just a balancing of energy during this time. But I am getting restless, a bit tired of the sourdough making, zoom meetings, and virtual exercise classes. I find myself frustrated by this restlessness, what to do with it? Resilience is a word often used these days; “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resilience. The ability to adjust easily to misfortune or change is not a given, we need help, support and a spark. I have the capacity to be resilient but, this time, I needed a bit of ‘priming the pump’. I made a commitment to be more intentional, to take time to write, draw, listen to and play music, read inspiring quotes. Fifteen minutes a day of holding space like this helps me get the restlessness in hand. An invitation to compile art submissions for the closing video for the Canadian Art Therapy Association Conference in November was a huge spark! It was an honour to weave people's images and soundscapes into that collective piece.