Quarantine Reflections

Hello there family, loved ones and all who find this blog. Let me start by saying my heart is so heavy for those facing a myriad of challenges that Covid-19 has caused. From those whose health has suffered Covid-19 or otherwise, to those who have had family and friends pass due to Covid-19 or otherwise and are unable to mourn with family or attend funerals, to the increase in domestic violence and abuse of any kind - and the lack of refuge, to those feeling the financial strain or who don’t know if they will have a pay cheque or shelter or food, and to all of us feeling the fear of uncertainty, PERIOD!

We may feel like we’re in uncharted territory, but we have been here before. The cycles of life are never really new. Reading up on the Spanish Flu of 1918 really helped put things in perspective for me (Read Here). 

Pictured below is the pregnant wife of Austrian artist Egon Schiele who died of the Spanish flu in 1918 the day after this was painted. Egon died 3 days later, also from the Spanish flu.

Reading about the Spanish flu gave me more appreciation of the evolution of the medical field since then, as well as our abundant access to information and resources in this day and age. I for one have never woken up every day so grateful for my health and to be alive! Life is so precious and it’s a shame it takes something like this to even realize it sometimes. But here we are and all we can do is embrace this moment and ask it what it has to teach us.

Here’s 5 things I’ve learnt or began to appreciate more since quarantine began:

1.       CONNECTION.

I have been in more contact with my family and friends than ever. As someone who usually hates phone calls and Facetime, I am now with the sh*ts fam! It has been lovely to bond with my people and especially my mama! We’re talking more often than we had in years and I love feeling more bonded to the woman who gave me life. Duh…My family continues to grow and I feel more appreciative of my huge ass family. 

Pictured below is my nephew Malachi with his 

newborn son born April 9th 2020.

2.       WORK. ACTION. EXERCISE.

You need to walk! My legs were aching by the end of lock down week 1! I thought I loved being a laid-up sloth, but turns out without the balance of working or being out and about and moving…it’s not so good. So, I’ve made the effort since to learn Beyonce dances and get some kind of a workout or movement into my daily routine...although I’m still feeling rather lazy but I digress. Also, just feeling an appreciation of the privilege it is to work and connect with people face to face. (Can't say my social life has been heavily impacted...in fact I think it's thriving more in quarantine!)

3.       FREE TIME

I have been excited to start using this time to LEARN new things and new skills...I signed up to Rosetta Stone Language School to learn more Spanish (Click here for a FREE 3 month offer). I'm committed to getting out of this thang a more capable cook FINALLY (although I still prefer the idea than the action – but I actually HAVE TO DO IT now ha!). I'm absolutley loving study astrology (send me your birth time people). I'm actually working my way through finishing my "Singing With Freedom" course I purchased 3 years ago and continue building my vocal skills. I'm working on my musical creations. I'm reorganizing my closet, cleaning out my food cupboards, and literally just doing whatever I gosh darn feel like with no time restraints or pressure to be “productive”…Also, who caught “Tiger King” on Netflix? Sheesh! Of course I'm netflix and chillin too.

4.       INTROSPECTION. SIGNS AND MESSAGES.

Now I’m about to get a lil Deepak Chopra on your ass and low-key impose my beliefs in the power of the Universe, but just bear with me if you don’t believe in it like that (or just substitute it with God)…So,I spent the first week of quarantine feeling really down and scared not having my job open to work at anymore and being caught up in the anxiety of the uncertainty of it all. But at the start of the second week, I caught an Instagram post from Teal Swan inviting me to have “acceptance” and to “PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS and messages from the universe. To watch, listen and perceive – the opposite of distraction and entertaining yourself.” I decided to calm down, let be, and open up to receive such things. And ever since then I have been enjoying quarantine far more and being more present to the experience. (I acknowledge that this is a privilege to have my health, my family’s health, and to have shelter and food at this time in order to do this). The epiphanies have been abundant and I feel like I’m seeing myself and my limits and challenges so much clearer. I’ve seen the light in new ways on how I can help myself live in more harmony, joy and alignment. (I would love to share more about this, but perhaps in a future blog). 

Having stillness and just BEING is such a powerful tool to connect with in life. I hope everyone is loving this opportunity to get reacquainted and intimate with their inner most SELF.

5.       WE ARE ONE!

I definitely don’t have the answers for our world’s crisis right now, but surely, we can all see that this is a time for reset. The way things have been running are not the way of the future if we wish to have one. As many have said this is a reminder that we are only as strong as our weakest player and we are all connected! We are all one! We are all travelers of this human experience and life and we share this realm! If one of us is suffering we are all suffering. This crisis has humbled me and I hope it can humble all of us and that we can come out of this a little more conscious and awakened to these truths, so, we can take better care of each other as well Mother Earth. I am not perfect and have much to learn in executing such ideals myself, but I truly do believe in our capacity to evolve and change.I believe in our inner goodness as human beings!

With all that being said let me end by saying each breath is a blessing and not a guarantee. We don’t know how long this will go on or what awaits us on the other side, but such is the nature of life WITH or WITHOUT Coronavirus. All we can do is make the most of each moment and take life day by day.

So, stay home and stay safe. And trust that somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue! 

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" - sang by me

PS. Special thanks to those on the front lines putting their health at risk and especially those who have lost their lives in helping others battle this virus. Thank you also to those who work in grocery stores, delivery persons, and everyone else who is still out there working. Be blessed.

Love, Hana.