Halfway through the year

Bridge at Peace Arch Park

We are already halfway through this strange Covid-19 summer. Where we are headed from here is very opaque. But this lovely scene above is not. Yesterday my friend Melanie and I drove a few miles north to the closed Canadian border to walk around Peace Arch Park. This lovely scene in the park reminds me of some places I saw in China, serene and peaceful. At first I was drawn to those incredible huge leaves, and then took in the rest of the scene, to my delight.

The Canadian government has closed the border between our countries because we have been unable to gain control over our response to the virus, and it's frighteningly out of control in many states. Our state of Washington is not doing too badly, but we still have only been able to reach four of the five criteria for being able to move to Phase 2, where we've been for weeks now. I learned today that 5% of all citizens who have tested positive with the virus in our state have died. That's not making me feel very confident that we will be returning to normal any time soon, and that whatever "normal" turns out to be will not resemble where we were in the Before Times.

This is a tough time in the history of the world. The entire population in every country is going through something unprecedented, even in those places where they have managed to get the virus under control. That is not the US, for sure. I simply cannot see what the problem is with wearing a mask, why it has become such a political statement in many places, when all it does is keep the virus from spreading. But I guess there are places that believe the virus is a hoax, perpetrated on the country by liberals. What kind of logic is that, I wonder.

Am I living through the beginning of a revolution? The division in our country is so extreme that at times I can barely recognize it. And as I get older, I wonder whether I will be around to see how it all turns out. I hope so, because it's possible I can be of some help to those around me, and they can be holding my hand (virtually, anyway) as well. It isn't helping me to feel confident as I read Mary Trump's memoir about her uncle, our President. I read until I cannot stand to know any more, and then I put the book down for awhile and turn to something distracting and nonthreatening, like a new sci-fi series, or even some old friends, like Star Trek. (The Voyager series with Captain Janeway is my favorite.)

We have finally reached the time of year in the Pacific Northwest when the rain stops and the sun shines almost every day. We will move from what I consider to be perfect weather conditions to being too hot for comfort. But it always cools down at night, since I am only a short distance away from the cooling effect of the water in Bellingham Bay and the effect of onshore flow in the winds. I love living here. When I lived in Boulder, Colorado, we had the higher elevation in our favor, but it still got way too hot in the summertime. It was part of the reason we decided to retire here, and we have not been sorry. It is so green and lush, and I get to walk around in its beauty whenever I wish, even during a short walk from my front door.

There is much to be thankful for, even during this time, if I will only point my attention in that direction, rather than bemoaning our situation and concentrating on the negativity. I will head to the coffee shop this morning and will put my lawn chair up in the shade next to my friend John, enjoying each other's company while socially distancing. Our friend Gene might join us, but he's not as much of a regular as the two of us are. After that, before it gets too hot, I'll try to walk around enough to get some steps and try to get a little exercise. If the gym was open, I'd be going there in normal times, but from what I'm reading about the risk of getting the virus in certain places, including gyms, I suspect it will be quite a while before it will be safe to go there again. I've also decided to stop getting pedicures, since nobody sees my toes anymore except me. When I was attending yoga classes in the studio twice a week, it made sense. Now in my Zoom yoga, well... you know.

Some people I know have taken this time to reassess their lives, to decide what is still important to them, and what can easily fall away. Having been an avid exerciser for most of my life, I have found that I am willing to rearrange my days in order to get at least some movement into them. Although I am no longer getting nearly as much as I'd like, there are only a few days when I don't get outdoors at all. And reading has become a staple of my days, as long as I don't overdo it and tire my eyes. Ever since I got the cataract surgery, I am able to read for longer periods as long as I use reading glasses and remember to stop and rest my eyes now and then. This getting older business takes some adjusting, but I am so happy that I can still walk, read, and use my old noggin to write a post now and then.

Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions. —Lao Tzu

One of the things I like to do is find a quote that ties together what I am feeling as I write a post. I went looking for one about perseverance, and I found this one by the ancient philosopher Lao Tzu. I was curious about the exact definition of the word "sublimity" here, so I went on to discover this:

The noun sublimity describes a characteristic that's a little hard to pin down. When something is sublime, it transcends greatness or beauty for the observer — like a deeply moving film or a transcendent piece of music. So when something is truly wonderful, or someone acts in a truly noble way, it's an example of sublimity. The Latin root, sublimis, means "uplifted, high, or exalted." 

Isn't it wonderful to have the accumulated wisdom of the world right here at my fingertips? I just looked up the quote, and the definition, in a few quick moments. That is another thing I am so grateful for: that I have lived long enough to enjoy and appreciate the internet as it exists today. It also gives me one other thing that I sometimes forget to appreciate: the ability to write a post and put it out into the world in an instant, like magic.

And it brings me into contact with people all over the world, my dear virtual community, that means everything to me. Even if I were trapped in my home, I'd still have a window that looks out into the universe. I feel the presence of those I will never see in person, and I feel intense gratitude. Thank you for being there.

This brings me to the end of another Sunday meditation. I do feel better after having finished it, and I will take my empty teacup into the kitchen, trying not to bother my dear partner who is still sleeping next to me as I compose this. I wish that you will have a wonderful and safe week ahead, and until we meet again, be well, dear friends.