“EMILY: "Does anyone ever realize life while they live it...every, every minute?"
STAGE MANAGER: "No. Saints and poets maybe...they do some.” ― Thornton Wilder, Our Town

The quote from Emily in Our Town is one I return to again and again. I am not diminishing the seriousness of these days. Concern for health of family and friends is palpable to be sure. Fear is real. But joy is more real. It multiplies, sustains, holds and carries us to the other side. Fear coils us back into darkness. Joy calls us out to play, dance, laugh and delight in today, in every, every minute.

Think back to one month ago. We bemoaned busy, chaotic schedules, no time to think, being torn between work and family obligations, no quality time with our family or hobbies, reading, pursuit of purpose, quiet time. We longed for the world to slow down. Well, it’s slowed down and grind to a temporary halt.

Like many, I have spent the past week on video calls in meetings to scramble for immediate concerns and plan for what’s next. I am meeting coworkers and clients dogs, kids and a lot of colleagues with flat hair (mainly mine – I’m 3 weeks past due a perm) Wake up to these moments right now and dig into purpose work. This time is offering the gift of pause, depth, solitude. Stop, absorb and connect authentically.

Be with your family now. Love the chaos of quiet and keep asking, pondering and answering purpose and meaning questions. Dig in, think wide and broad. Pay attention to getting not only through this but realizing every minute while you’re in it.

We are not only in this together, we will get through this together and we will thrive on the other side together too. We are not only home schooling our kids, we are home schooling ourselves. Get to class and start learning the lessons of these days. You will need this curriculum of resilience, resolve and rising to move to the #otherside.