The Trojan Horse

 

 

It has been a while since I have actually completed a blog. I would start several drafts on several different topics but then I would get sidetracked. I have been waiting to find the same wavelength I had when starting them, to complete them. Therefore, I am saving some time by rolling several topics into one, in order to free up some space in my draft files. Technical communication, covid-19 pandemic and this week’s full moon gave me the idea for this  newest blog.

Before I begin, let me first ask this question:  Do we really want 2020 to disappear? So often lately, I have seen quotes and memes suggesting this has been the worst year…and the proposal is made to jump ahead to a New Year. Personally, I feel that 2020 has not been catastrophic. Sure, it has certainly been a time when uncertainities, challenegs and unprecedented insecurities have peaked in the Headline News. However, the issues that have come to light have always been lurking in the shadows…but because the global pandemic has caused us to slow down from our otherwise hectic life, the reality of universal power struggles and unethical behavior have come into sharper focus. For example:

• Wildfires have occured throught world history.
• 2020 is not the first time the US has ordered a hit on a foreign leader in order to prevent future attacks.
• This would not be the first year that family members stepped down/back from family responsibilities.
• As unfortunate as it is, it is not the first year that American Soldiers have been injured or killed during international power struggles.
• It is not the first year an international flight has crashed, killing all passengers on board.
• It would not be the first year that we have faced a potentially serious or fatal illness.
• It is not the first year that we have had a President to face possible impeachment.
• It is not the first year a sports athlete or celebrity have met their fatal demise in plane/helicopter crash.
• It is not the first time a state has parted ways with their country.
• It would not be the first time a person of significant status has been accused of sexual allegations.
• It is not the first time a politician running for office has dropped out of a race or campaign.
• It is not the first time Dow has plunged…to recover some time later.
• Although not since 1944, it is not the first time the Olympics have been postponed or cancelled.
• Child exploitation and sex trafficking have existed for decades.
• Racism, unfortunately, has been around longer than the past immediate issue.
• Riots have always been around and seem to resurrect when the world is in turmoil and at odds.
• Deciding on whether to pay Peter or Paul during furlough or lay-offs, while waiting on unemployment, is not anything new for some.
• Injustices being “swept under the rug” have also existed for quite some time. In today’s world, transparency is a new concept. 

On a higher note, there has been positive energy to occur this year, as well as the devestaing occurences.

• Super Bowl latino celebrity duo during halftime.
• Countries joining forces to aide in combatting Australia’s wildfires.
• Healthcare workers working around the clock to provide their care and compassion for covid-19 patients.
• Italians singing from their balconies, while maintaining social distancing.
• We have been able to  observe hilarious viral videos of people coping with boredom in quarentine.
• People have become creative with art and writings, taken to the outdoors more, working in their gardens, focused more on exercise and wellness, read more, caught up on chores and projects at home, enjoyed silence and stillness, listened to music, communicated with loved ones and friends more, rewrote a budget better suited for economic recession, etc.
• Nursery and Garden Center profits and backyard pool industries have soared this year
• Some have even received complimentary seeds from China for their gardening projects

The second question is what would we carry over from our experiences in 2020 to the new year in 2021? There are memes to suggest alot of people have not been affected by quarentine (as others may have experienced) due to their pre-exisitng lifestyle.  I, for one, have not done anything differently in the last 4 months than I would normally do. The one exception would be wearing masks, which I do not have a problem with. Additionally, I always have enough to keep me busy, tending to projects & goals, for anyone to hear me complain about boredom.

In this era of social media, how has social distancing and/or isolation affected you? Again, I feel very little effect, since nothing changed with my routine outside of working at the office. I did, however, have my cable turned back on for the idle evenings without time spent at the barn. If you recall, I discontinued my cable and internet service (along with nail and hair salon visits) last November so that I could afford to feed my last equine prisoner. You, see I was already preparing for furlough and did not realize it at the time…lol! Once I returned to work, I discontinued service again so that I could catch up after feeding the equine prisoners double their rations in April.

On the other hand, however, the youngest tiny human became extremely restless and bored, depsite her access to every social media outlet ever invented.  As a result, she ended up in the hospital for a week with an open fracture in her foot, after “hood surfing”. How this dangerous stunt resurrected from my teenage years without my awareness is beyond me! The injury was significant enough to have an ambulance transport her to the hospital so that she would not have to wait with the onslaught of covid patients in the waiting room. She was able to get right in, evaluated and promptly rolled into the first of multiple surgeries. Her Dad nor I were allowed in the hospital, due to the environmental conditions. All communications and updates were by phone. Needless to say, there were many moments of anxiety…but faith and prayer prevailed.

This brings me to technical communication and covid-19. Other than what is required to communicate with others in today’s world, I am not a huge fan of social media outlets. I graduated from the typewriter to a computer keyboard without too much incidence. I have gone from the first big, heavy mobile phones, to flip phones, to smartphones without  too many issues. I can copy, fax, scan and email. However, I am old school and prefer communicating by phone, writing or in person. Obviously ,I have had to evolve with progressive times and gradually educate myself with the age of Technology. The only reason I will text is because my tiny humans would not answer my phone calls but would immediately respond with a text…lol! Then, there was the familiarization process with texting shorthand. I will participate on Facebook and WordPress but disregard all other social media outlets (Youtube, Tweet, Myspace, Snap Chat, Tik Tok, Ebo, Instagram, etc.)…simply because I cannot remember all the passwords I used to sign up, initially. On the other hand, the above options come in handy and prove to be a survival tactic with millenials during isolation and/or quarentine. I told the nurses at the hospital, they MAY just surive a week with Jordan if they provide a means and a way to keep her phone charged…Lol!

Finally, this week’s full moon in Aquarius is poised to deliver a powerful jolt, acting as a serious wake-up call for those floating along in denial and our involvement in the collective we associate with.  It is always best to remain open-minded and grounded when these awakenings occur.

When this level of shaky uncertainty enters our life, it allows us to see what is weak and needs to fall, and what is strong. Whatever withstands the shaking remains, whatever was already weak will fall away. See entire article at link, below:

https://foreverconscious.com/intuitive-astrology-aquarius-full-moon-august-2020 

 

Take home message: as I have said before, the universe has sent us a wake-up call. It is up to each and every one of us to decide how we will learn from and react to 2020 events.  Every race and every culture has good and bad apples…just as there are good public safety officers, judicial/legal personnel, politicians…and corrupt ones. Let’s face it…some people are not just missing a screw but they are missing the whole tool box! I believe transparency, fairness, equality, justice, peace and love will prevail but how much loss, hatred, greed, cruelty, prejudice must humanity endure before we come together as one people, one nation, and one universe?

Finally, if you feel strongly about a movement…engage in supporting the cause, stand up for what you believe in, be a voice for the unheard…BUT…with empathetic compassion, not evil surgence. I am not suggesting you rescue Gotham City by any means but it’s very simple, really…all we have to do is treat others like we would want to be treated.

I do not profess to have this quality 100% of the time… in fact far from it, as most of us imperfect humans. In hindsight, perhaps it was the NOT the most sensitive of words to escape my mouth when the youngest tiny human calls me (hysterical) from the ambulance…only for me to ask her, “well did you learn anything from your experience?” When I fail, I fail miserably! However, when I am insensitive, it usually arises out of fear. Once the shock settled (somewhat) 3 sentences into the conversation, I regained my composure and managed to convey (in my most genuine heartfelt maternal love for this reckless child of mine), ” I am so sorry, sweetie…I wish I could take your place so you would not have to experience this pain…I love you to the moon, stars and back…be strong and call me when the doctor comes in to review your injuries.”

If we understand God’s plan and respond in ways that the universe is calling us to do, we may just be able to free ourselves from this perceived seige we are under…and still go glamping with our sisterhood when retired 🙂

Be safe, stay well…and may the force be with us all!