I live in Rome, Italy, and I could wake up in the middle of the night and still recite from memory what to do to be safe from contracting the Corona virus (mask, proper distance from others, disinfectant, stay at home, and the whole shebang). I could also tell you that it is the result of Bio Terrorism, or God handing down the just punishment for our Hedonistic ways, or a Darwinian way to form a new, stronger species. What I could NOT recite by memory is what we should learn from this crisis, and that is: We can live with much less than what we think we need. Less clothes, less objects, less cars. Life becomes sweeter that way, as we make space (literally) for the natural elements to be present in our lives. We need our friends. A hug, a kind word, a pat on the shoulder that we have often prioritized as not important for working on meaningless tasks We need to become more compassionate and understanding. This crisis is leveling us out in ways that no other ever has. We are all ONE, as we all experience the same life so restricted in close quarters and we are all at risk of losing our possessions, if not our lives. We should be more social. I am very extraverted and luckily, even though I live this unprecedented time alone, I am virtually connected to many of my friends. No day goes by without at least a dozen of phone calls and messages from my friends. But I know of others who have clammed down and closed their hearts and ears to others. Solitude (Nazi camps and prisons teach us this!), is deadly. People wither and die without social interaction, meaning, a word, a hug, a kiss or anything that will help someone feel loved and seen (thinking of the monks in solitude? Think again. They have spent years studying how to fulfill their earthly desires in solitude). We should stop hoarding riches while paying our employees pittances. In our capitalistic system a few have way too much and continue to grow their capitals, but those who work for them make barely enough to eat on that particular month.
During a crisis like this, and with governments that don’t supply what they need to survive, these people are slated to become homeless or becomes sick or even die. The environment must be saved. In a few days span, our rivers close to the sea have already seen sea otters, dolphins have returned to the Venetian bay, the skies in China and on major worldwide cities are for the first time clean and blue. This is telling: when species disappear is a sure sign that there is contamination and the eco system is out of balance. How long will we survive with an ill ecosystem? These are just few of the areas that this crisis seems to emphasize albeit indirectly. I am no expert, but I know that staying home for two weeks has taught me a lot. It has taught me to listen carefully to others, not brush them off because I was perennially in a hurry. It has taught me that friends come from all over the globe, as I have heard from people I have not spoken with in years. It has taught me that I can spend all the time I spent on my makeup, my hair, nails, or body, on writing pieces like this, on calling someone who is alone, on helping anyone in need feel that they are not alone, on checking inside of me about what it is that I want to do in the next phase of my life. In brief, this time is offering us with a way to review, mend and recreate our past for a better, more fulfilling and altruistic future. Want to become more resilient and powerful in this time of crisis? Book your free, 50 minutes session here. With much, much love and appreciation,
Lauretta Lauretta Zucchetti