Zooming In

Sentiments of coping with world events, and how to manage your mental health are increasingly common. I personally, have stepped away from watching the news ages ago. As you know, I really protect my ‘energy’ and knowing people are suffering can be too much to bear at times. And I hope that doesn’t come across as being insensitive – the stepping back from knowing what’s going on – but rather, I feel too sensitive to the feelings of others. To me, everyone is a soul, and souls know no borders.

If necessary, I attempt to find out facts or history leading to why an event unfolded as it did, rather than going by headlines which I can understand are meant to make people feel the injustice or atrocities, resulting in – best case scenario – positive and helpful action.

My means of coping if feeling overwhelmed with grief or empathizing with grief people are undoubtedly feeling, is to either really zoom in my focus – the good or beautiful moments in my tiny life experience on this planet, or zoom out my focus. Zooming it out so far, to think of the earth being this speck in the universe, the vastness of all that lies beyond our universe. The realization that 100 years for ‘us’ is but this infinitesimal quantity in the scope of all things.

And so, zooming in..

Last week, my older son, who is in grade 12, made the most beautiful cutting board in his woodwork class. He then gifted it to me. It was so touching, he was so proud of his work, as he should be as it’s so well done. Made from Walnut, Cherry and Oak. Pictured.

I met my parents on my lunch break yesterday. In the course of the conversation, they were remembering that 43 years ago, they were on a cross- Canada road trip, and on that day, 43 years prior, they were on Prince Edward Island. They fondly spoke of how fortunate they have been with their life together and with us girls. Family vacations we had together, their home that dad built in 1975. The conversation at that point just became very reflective and sentimental. I could imagine how they were feeling, looking back on many happy years. Eyes become a little misty. And as my parents sat across from me – we were at a 2 seat table, and they were squished in side by side in the bench, where normally one person would occupy, and I had to capture that moment. I had to take a picture of the two of them, feeling thoroughly content and grateful. They obliged and smiled to capture a lovely moment.

Those are very recent standout moments, and otherwise, my zooming in moments are appreciation for a few good books I have on the go, some time to relax and paint while also watching our boy’s hockey games.

Sending Love,

Devon