Life
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Unconditional Self-Love
I recently spent time at a coffee shop for the first time since the start of the pandemic. It was nice being able to sit by the window, sip from a large mug of latte, people-watch, and write in my spiral-bound notebook. I tried to savour my time there, to not rush to get to a personal writing task. When I got home, while removing my shoes and coat, I reflected on my having completed my writing task and for treating myself to a nice time alone at the coffee shop. I said to myself, “I’m proud of you.” Right after I said those words, though, I wondered When have…
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Pieces of the Pandemic: January 2020 – January 2022
Pre-Pandemic This was me before the world stopped being what I had known. The grainy quality of this image evokes an old-time feel even though it was taken only two years ago. It feels like many more years passed between then and now. Look at me looking all happy, clueless as to how our lives would become a surreal reality just a couple months later. July 4, 2020 There are more and more people venturing outside, lounging in public spaces like parks and patios. This is what happens in warmer weather. When the sun comes out, the people follow. We are drawn to it like a magnet. Not even a…
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How to Be Likable
In my building, there’s a rooftop deck sparsely equipped with a grill, a picnic table nearby, some shrubs that never seem to be in bloom, and a green bench positioned with its back facing the grilling area about 20 feet away. Several years ago when I went to the roof for a smoke, I met an impressive young man. A very likable person. Let’s call him Maxim. He was with a friend. They were sitting at the picnic table, talking while their dinner was cooking on the grill. I sat on the bench – a good distance away from where they were. Not long after I lit my cigarette, though,…
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What Do You Want to Do with Your Life?
“What do you want to do with your life? For many people, including myself, this is a daunting question. “I don’t know.” “I have no idea.” “I wish I knew.” When this question is directed at you, do you feel a pressure inside your chest? Do you feel ashamed that you don’t know? I know I do. For me, the shame is amplified by the fact that I’m 50 years old. By social standards, I’m at an age where I should know what I want by now. Well, I don’t. Or do I? If you were unabashedly honest with yourself, would you actually know the answer? Is it possible that…
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A Pandemic of Selfishness
Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively, for oneself or one’s own advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others. Selfishness is the opposite of altruism or selflessness; and has also been contrasted with self-centeredness. Wikipedia Selfish adjective (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure. – Google The pandemic has brought out the ugly in people. This can be observed when reading the comments section of a YouTube video about COVID-19 vaccinations. On more than one occasion I have seen the word “selfish” used to describe and denigrate those who have chosen to not get vaccinated. It made me…
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Thoughts on the Pandemic
I didn’t see this coming. Lockdowns. Masks. Mandatory vaccination policies at the workplace. Vaccine passports to gain access to entertainment venues, gyms, and restaurants. The segregation of society based on one’s vaccination status. Get the jab, or else... It is not the virus that I am afraid of – it is human behaviour, how we are treating each other.
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Things I’m Not Supposed to Say
Everyone’s a hypocrite. Absolute altruism in human’s doesn’t exist. We all have discriminatory tendencies. We all judge. We are all self-centred.
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Who Are You? (The Dreaded Question)
“Who are you?” is possibly one of the most dreaded questions you can be asked. And yet we’re expected to answer variations of this question everyday. With the way social media pervades a significant portion of our lives, there’s no escape from being confronted with this question, in one form or another. For each platform you join, you’re required to fill out a bio, profile, an about page, etc. that succinctly and charmingly conveys a glimpse into who you are. Drives me crazy. Who am I? There is no definitive answer. As frustrating as it may be. Whenever I’m confronted with the “Who are you?” question, my inner voice replies…
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Feeling Alone During the Pandemic
Another day. Another day that looks the same as the ones preceding it. I can hardly tell the days apart anymore. Does it really matter? I spend most days alone. Loneliness in a pandemic feels different somehow. I can’t quite articulate why, but there’s an invisible weight present. Is it that there’s another layer of uncertainty in the air? The longing for connection seems more impassable and out of reach. The physical barriers between us, the newly learned way of keeping our distance from each other, add to the feeling of disconnect and isolation. But it’s crucial for my mental and emotional health to leave the confines of my home.…
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My “Morning” Routine During Self-Isolation
My “morning” routine since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic looks quite different than it did prior to living predominantly in self-isolation. I put “morning” in quotes because spending most of my days in self-isolation, in addition to not working, has flipped my sleeping schedule upside down. My night owl tendencies have surfaced full force. Lately I’ve been going to sleep between 5 am and 7 am. By the time I get out of bed, it’s early afternoon. I quite enjoy my morning-ish routine, as it provides some structure during a precarious time, and an opportunity to ease into the day by exercising self-care. My “Morning” Routine During Self-Isolation Here’s…