"It is time to step into the reality of what is, and let go of what will not be. Even though abstract and unknown factors and influences exist, the way forward will be the result of our own freewill and choices."
There are many metaphors to describe life, and each of us could find a different way express our journey through it. Our lives are truly a unique sequence of events and experiences. Some are inexplicable, and others are determined by our own freewill and choices.
We will never know how things could have been, as we maneuver the complex matrix of abstract factors that determine our trajectory. Perhaps every counter step, every other choice, and each alternate outcome dissolves into the ether, as we step into the reality of what is, forever erasing what will not be.
I believe we straddle these two spaces on the tiniest of margins. A tendril stands between our current reality, and those undeterminable sequences. I could get lost imagining the endless ways things could, or would, be different. There are infinite split-second decisions at play, along with the abstract notion of fate, or happenstance. Both sway the way our story goes.
As a kid I played a game called Isolation, which is an ironic metaphor I’ll embrace as it fits the current times. The object was to move around a honeycomb board filled with yellow tiles, punching out the pieces until one player runs out of moves. If you lose, there is nowhere left to go. I think many of us have felt like that defeated player lately. We took our turn on the honeycomb, only to be outmaneuvered by an unknown opponent, our tiles mercilessly punched out. It felt like a cruel time out.
If we allow ourselves to think of it in a different way, maybe the pandemic pause is what we needed. Maybe the discomfort, stillness, and silence saved us from a different, even less desirable alternate fate. Maybe if we had made a move at the wrong time, we would have slid into that abyss. Maybe the darkness has helped us recognize the faintest slivers of light.
We are all on our own path, and we all have a unique story, but we have been through a collective trauma, even if we each experienced it differently. We will all gain our own lessons and insights. it is my hope that it helps us find more empathy, and a broader scope of acceptance for others. I hope we all experience renewal, and find abundant blessings as we emerge from the darkness.
It is time to step into the reality of what is, and let go of what will not be. Even though abstract and unknown factors and influences exist, the way forward will be the result of our own freewill and choices.
The game is not over, it was just on pause. What happens next? Time will tell, but I do not believe we have run out of moves!