What simple pleasures will feel amazing when this is over? What will we no longer take for granted?
This period of time is eerily similar to what it felt like going through anhedonia from the PTSD. I couldn’t “feel” anything – hugs didn’t “matter”…nor did TV shows, sports, delicious foods, art, and the list goes on and on.
But that morning I woke up, when things started to come “back,” I remember describing it, that it felt like Game 7 of my favorite team’s playoff series – heightened emotions for every single second, taking in every moment.
I once did a session w the group – @artofliving where we were each given a single grape to put in our mouths. We couldn’t eat it right away. We had to first hold it in our cheek, next to our teeth. The outside skin of a grape doesn’t taste like much. We were asked to think about texture of that skin.
After about 2 min of discussing what that first bite of the grape WOULD taste like, we were finally able to bite in. One grape. No more. Just enjoying the sweet taste of that bite and all that came with it, after doing the OPPOSITE of what we typically do when not instructed otherwise (grab a bunch of grapes, throw them in our mouth all at once, & chomp down to a burst of flavor). The appreciation of this one grape, after having to wait and think about it, was so much more powerful.
So, what simple things in life will we learn to appreciate that much more, after this is over? That’s why I chose this pic – I can’t even consider hugging my nieces and cousins right now, after having been out on the road traveling. So, that will feel amazing.
Won’t we appreciate things like: Shaking Hands? Hugs? “Bro Hugs”? Sitting in a Restaurant w Friends? Dropping Kids Off Running into School? Watching a Hit, a Dunk, a Goal, a TD? Singing Next to Someone at a Concert?
It’s tough right now, but the perspective we will have gained will be IN-CREDIBLE. Hang in there, everyone. Work together. Be on each other’s team. Good times will return…and when they do, we’ll enjoy and appreciate them that much more.