Better Than "Back to Normal"

As I think toward Mother’s Day, my first (selfish) thought is that I will not be elbow deep in fragrant blooms, playing with my ever expanding collection of groovy vessels, making things for my well-loved friends who generously support my indulgent creative endeavors. I will miss play time!

Then my Mother’s Day contemplations turn to the abundance in my family life. I have a most awesome mom, smart, capable, with a great sense of humor and even better sense of style, who puts everyone else first, sets a great example, and loves me. Owen and I have a wedding anniversary just after, and though impossible, we’ll come up with a plan that attempts to acknowledge what it means to have a dependable partner whose smiles still make my tummy flip. And then there is the continued amazing privilege of watching our children grow. The list goes on and on.

Then I consider our world. Wow, we are all in this together as never before. We find it difficult to make plans, to imagine what the future can and should be. We hope to “get back to normal,” but isn’t this an amazing opportunity for better? All scenarios include some individual and collective pain. We might as well make it count, and try to share the burden. Why don’t we have goals loftier than “back to normal”? Isn’t it more American to race for a cure, marshal our resources for important manufacturing, commit to renewables, invest in forward looking infrastructure, and set high standards for education? Are we going to seize opportunities for vast efficiencies in commerce and communication, and are we going to creatively employ the collective gains for ways of life we value?

I just listened to The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking, who works at the Happiness Institute in Copenhagen, which has mixed reviews, but I found some nuggets worthwhile, mainly comparing Danish and American ways of life. Family time, time with friends, modes of transit, availability of natural light, taxes, competition and concerns, vary between our countries. We have the luxury to choose (except the light), and let’s make sure after this churn that we set off in paths that lead to what we care about.