RL4B: Relentlessly Looking For Beauty

It's not a new concept to bring celebrities and musical artists together in one event to raise funds and awareness for a global issue. Just look at the music festivals like Farm Aid, Band Aid, and Live Aid. These events bring people together in a swell of goodwill and celebration to support an important cause. But what happens when concerts are cancelled? When large group  gatherings  are prohibited? This week, Global Citizen had an answer. As an established organization that brings the world's biggest challenges to the forefront, they were in the perfect position to create a virtual concert to say thanks to the frontline workers & ask people to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. And I almost missed it. My sister called during the first part of the eight-hour event and told me, "You should turn on the TV. We've been watching this concert and dancing around the house. It's been great!" She sounded so joyful, I was intrigued. I co...

I've written before about the value of connecting with friends over board games or other group activities. This practice has become a routine and needed outlet for laughter and enjoyment. So, like everyone else, when the stay-at-home order came, we found ourselves missing this connection. Enter the Internet and a webcam. My husband, an electronics and computer-savvy technician, had a solution in mind. He set up a webcam on a tripod and placed it facing the couch in the living room. Then he wired it to his laptop which was sitting nearby on a TV tray. Finally, he plugged in an AV cable to the side of our television. He called me in from the kitchen. "Honey, come here for a minute, and sit on the couch." I followed his request, and when I looked at the TV, I saw what he had done. The webcam was displayed on the big screen! "Want to call your sister?" Using Google Duo, he called Kara and her family with video, and when they answered, we could see t...

Since beginning my Gratitude Practice several years ago, I've listed "abundant food" dozens of times. But in my mind, I was comparing my situation to either a country with a limited food supply, the various "food deserts" in urban America, or those who lived in or on the edge of poverty.  Though I was aware and grateful that my local grocery store's shelves were fully stocked, I never imagined a time when they wouldn't be. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. We had just bought food in bulk in preparation for our annual camping trip to Moab, Utah. We went on our planned vacation, staying socially distant in our self-contained camp trailer, and I suspended my worry for thirteen days. But when we got home, I knew I needed to face the grocery challenge. We were out of milk. We needed fresh veggies. And I longed for some canned pineapple, my go-to indulgence for a snack or dessert (we'd been out for a month and had yet to find it). Researching...

A local author and writing coach, Molly Caro May, recently offered a month-long daily writing experience titled In the Middle of It . Her intention is to help you uncover and write your story during this time of Coronavirus and its impact. I joined immediately, eager for a structured outlet and time to journal. In the weeks leading up to yesterday, I was still processing my fear and anxiety ( see my last blog post ). But as yesterday dawned, I could see a light in the darkness. I was in that state of consciousness that's between deep sleep and being fully awake, a half-dreaming-half-reality sense of being - the place where you feel confident, content, and hopeful. For the first time in two weeks, fear was not on my mind. It felt like I was being lifted up and over my worries to see a larger picture. I could see a path winding across the landscape and a rush of energy and motivation urged me to follow it. I smiled and got out of bed, stepping lighter than I had in days. As I ...

I've never labeled myself as one who experiences anxiety. Sure, I've worried about and ruminated on life's challenges, but I've always considered it a mild, temporary state of being. Until Friday, March 13. As news of COVID-19 permeated our world that week, I'd done my best to distance myself, both literally and figuratively, from the crisis. I knew I was in the "vulnerable" category with my muscle disease, but felt pretty safe. This strategy of avoiding the drama had worked in the past for me, and I was content to stay in my optimistic bubble. Until I clicked on a link which was shared from a trusted organization. It was an opinion article from a doctor in Italy, and it shattered my little panic-free world. From its hyperbolic headline ( Stop Killing People ) to its dire claims of long-lasting effects if you even were to survive the coronavirus, the essay flipped a switch in the most ancient part of my brain that said, "You're in danger!...

Due to a rare muscular dystrophy, my muscles can only tolerate a certain amount of walking, standing, and sitting at one time. Even lying down has its challenges, depending on my positioning. These limits create a challenge for chores, hobbies, and daily living. Yet for many years, I focused my attention in the wrong places. Intellectually, I knew these physical limitations were there, but when I was in the middle of loading the dishwasher, mingling at a social gathering, or at the computer writing, I didn't want to stop, so I powered through to complete the task. I got the rush of accomplishment, but then a few hours later, I paid for it in muscle pain and exhaustion. While recovering, usually on the couch with a book or with the television, I admonished myself for skipping the laundry, putting off a project, or otherwise not being productive. All I could see as I looked around was every unfinished chore, and I felt the judgment and shame building. I needed to change my vi...

I subscribe to Ancestry.com , and part of the package includes access to Newspapers.com . I'd had the service for six months before I took the time to try it, and within the first fifteen minutes of searching, I'd found an article that made the extra fee worthwhile. A few weeks ago, I sat down at my desk and brought up the Newspapers.com website. I had about an hour before dinner, so I settled back in my padded chair, laid my hand on the mouse, and clicked in the search bar. I typed in Murl J. Hume, my maternal grandfather's name, and hit enter. On top of the list was an article from the Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune in Muscatine, Iowa. Bingo! I had a hit on my first attempt! The article was titled, Pvt. Murl J. Hume Returns to Camp , and it detailed how Hume, an enlisted Army serviceman, had been home on a 10-day furlough to visit his parents. It also told of his basic training and his Camp address in South Carolina. I smiled at the way small-town news...