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A Million Silver Linings

by Michele Davenport

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Shelter in place (SIP) has taken on a whole new meaning as I continue to explore a million silver linings. Part of my coronavirus COVID-19 shelter in place experience is wandering around in my photo gallery, which is where I found the image that prompted this post.  It’s a couple years old and one thing I wonder about is where they were taken - as you can see, I get curious about all kinds of matter.  What else stirs for me around this image is silver linings.  In my heart, I continue to hear the phrase “a million silver linings” as this time of narrowing, then expanding, then narrowing again, then going sideways, perhaps ascending, then not so much, I am heartened by many little things that for me sometimes got lost in my pre-corona day-to-day movement. It’s in these moments where I’m finding a little comfort, as I spend weeks and weeks sheltering in place and turning inward.  Let’s see if together, we can approach “a million silver linings.” Pass this to your people and let’s keep it going and trust it's an invitation to just pause... not get more followers!

 

  1. winking at strangers with nose and mouth covered - I hope they can feel my smile on them
     

  2. hand written notes to at least 5 people per week and sending them USPS with a postage stamp of Gregory Hines, no less!
     

  3. getting acquainted with my kitchen which for nearly 3 years I've cooked in only a few times per month
     

  4. releasing a couple extra pounds that found their way to my mid-section in recent years!
     

  5. seeing the faces of my siblings when speaking with them - pre-corona we'd chat only by phone 
     

  6. going live 2x per week with my broader inside crew - there are 10 of us, usually just being silly, yet also talking about who needs what (in terms of extra support right now) 
     

  7. walking Pier 84 with a target of 60,000 steps each week (it’s across the street from my home, and until now I’d only been there 3x in nearly 3 years)
     

  8. really enjoying my meditation practice - I’ve had a practice off/on since 1995 - thank you Ann Davis from Denver, CO for introducing me to this life-saving practice
     

  9. dancing in my reflection in the living room artwork - and dancing like "no one is watching"
     

  10. attending my sister's church service every Sunday - virtually
     

  11. on a regular basis, being read to by my grandnephews
     

  12. pouring over thousands and thousands of photos - what a joy...
     

  13. standing, moving around while working, and even getting steps in in my home... that's different!
     

  14. talking to a sister who I didn't grow up with and haven't had much connection to - it's pretty sweet
     

  15. significantly reducing my carbon footprint - for the last several years I've been living my dream of being bi-coastal and splitting time between California and NY. It's had lots of bright moments but also some challenges in that it's tough on the body!
     

  16. being very intentional about my daily devotional and spiritual practice

 

Of course, I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. I'm grateful for the silver linings and remain open to those which have yet to be revealed.


May you and those you care about be well, safe and remain healthy.

 

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