Is This Our New Normal?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what might be some of our takeaways from this time. What will become our new normal? I’ve heard (and read) people say "when we go back to normal". I for one don’t believe we can ever go back only forward. So I keep pondering, what are we learning in these last weeks, things that once we are able to go back to work, school, parties, i.e. our lives, we will take with us.
Here’s my list (three weeks in):
I hope ... we keep offering our best selves to people, to our neighbors, the elderly. That we continue reaching out to friends and family, making sure people are ok. 

I hope 

Click here to watch my friend Daniyel's video

... we remember to be a bit kinder and nicer. And giving of our gifts. I have so many friends who are offering up their music and their teachings all online. For almost all of them, this is how they make their living. But with no concerts, no classes, they are giving it to us for free. What a gift!
I hope
... we continue to be more conscious that we are all connected. What happens in one part of the world effects us all. I am glad to see pollution levels are down. Animals and fish are walking/ swimming around places we have not seen in a very long time.
My friend Mike Comins sent me this video from his trip to the Galapagos Islands.

Click here to watch the video

I hope
...we push ourselves to learn new ways to communicate with each other. We have to learn the art of communication. Written communication and zoom lack the nonverbal cues we are used to using. This is hard, especially when we are stressed, communication breakdowns happen even more often. 

... families go on reconnecting with each other. On my dad’s side of the family, we have a new fb group with cousins I’ve never met. Old photos of my great grandparents are being posted. My dad as a child. Amazing!

My dad, Mel is the school-age boy, right side.

I can’t wait until the day comes (may it be soon) when we get to hug people again. I know I for sure will remember to hug them a bit longer, a bit closer, a bit tighter.
I just read an article The Four Questions, he ended with the same words I had just written
Hopefully, in the years ahead, we can look back and say that we used “Corona time” to build a future in which we all rededicate to giving more of ourselves to others. Now, if we can truly say that, Dayenu!
 
I would love to know what your list looks like, put a note in the comment section, email me or send me a text. 


Stay healthy, stay home, stay in contact with me and the ones you love, 
May this virus leave as fast as it came. 
Here's to an even better world,
With Ahava, 
Tamy
PS 
My school, Pardes offered us 2 days of learning about Pesach/ Passover. Each class was better than the last. Scroll down to Newly Released Podcasts, click on Pesach Yom Iyun. Enjoy!