Mindfulness Place

COVID-19 – Resources for Coping and Resiliency

Thank You!!!

There I was, standing in the shower, looking at the bathtub and wondering how many months I have been wanting to have a soak in the tub. And, “Whooosh”, a physical sensation of deep appreciation and gratitude swirled about in my body. This did not originate in Mind and nor did Mind engage.

I simply stood under the warm water, moved with a humble gratefulness for water, for warm and hot running water, for a nose that enjoys the smells of shampoo and soap. I thought of my Mom and Grandma who knew what it was like to have no indoor plumbing. I thought of my Grandma who would have bathed her children sequentially in a metal washtub, filled with hot water thanks to the woodstove. I thought of my Grandparents whose adult bodies, albeit not big by today’s adults, would not have fit into the metal washtub. They must have been left to “spit bath”. I thought about how wonderful it feels to be squeaky clean, to be free of various bodily odours. I wondered about deodorant. I thought about the generosity of water from the shower head and taps and all of the people who do not have running water or potable water, even today.

Mom used to tell me a story about being afraid to go to the outhouse in the dark as wolves howled, seemingly very close by. She was just a little girl and she “snuck” around the corner of the house to do her business and scurried to the back door as quickly as she possibly could. I wonder if Grandma knew she was afraid. I wonder if Grandma herself was either afraid or nervous.

Waves of gratitude rushed round and round, through my body, and tears were not far. My Mom is still alive and this is not all that long ago. I thought of my impatience and frustration with internet connectivity and felt a wave of warm shame wash over me. Today in covid, our society is blessed with internet connections, even such as they are, and with the gap spaces of connection. We still have access to a great deal of ongoing information and news, even if passed forward from family or friends. We are to be physically isolating, and various social media allows for unbelievable connectivity!!!!! Unimaginable by my Grandma or my Mom!

All I could feel and imagine as a response to these felt sensations in my body, was, “Thank You!!!!”. So many layers upon layers of things to hold deep gratitude and appreciation for – connections, electricity, warm house, social connections, personal learning and growing opportunities galore, many of which are free, and on and on it goes.

I sincerely wish to practice daily gratitude for my abundant, abundant blessings!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Warm regards,

Shelley & Becky

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