The good will return, it always does.

Our 21st post isn’t a book or a poem, but it’s a answer to ourselves, about why we picked all of them. It is a little like what the old schoolers would call the "essence of it all" and millennials would refer to as "the super summary".  It is a writer’s attempt to make sense of their own thinking, a grand metacognition challenge of sorts, which demands that we ‘think about our thinking’,  that we are self – aware and that we look within to muster a response to any challenge that is thrown at us.  

Quiet reflection…

We began with, Julia Cameron’s The Artists Way,  https://bit.ly/2yc7bzW. Cameron gave us a place to begin, when we were suddenly, locked into our homes.  Her soothing voice implored us to befriend ourselves.  In fact, she said, this self- isolation, would be a great place from which to forge a creative response to our new normal. That in this reservoir of solitude, we would find, Sheryl and Adam’s Option – B https://bit.ly/39qlTQZ -  a clear path to bounce forward. We also thought it was a good idea to bring to you stories from which we can draw lessons about how people have survived accentuating political, and socio-economic circumstances. And how they have responded when their identities have been stripped away and their minds have been imprisoned by forces much bigger than themselves. 

…learning from others

So, we brought to you the boys in Balzac and Little Chinese Seamstress: https://bit.ly/3bsq3ck.  Through their eyes, we understood, not just their personal trials during China’s Cultural Revolution, but we were forced to think about the different rural and urban circumstances in which people live – crisis or no crisis. Of how poverty can strip us of so much, including our dignity.  We were, perhaps, humbled into understanding that our work - from - home reality, is but, a minor adjustment, when compared to those who cannot and will not find work in vast countryside of this country.

…forge a meaningful response 

And we hoped, that if we emerged from this quiet reflection, with acceptance, gratitude and a plan B,  it would be like we have responded to Amy Cuddy’s summon to be present https://bit.ly/39qNod5.  A Presence, which requires that we bring our boldest selves to our biggest challenges and so in the way that fits our #IKIGAI – now and going forward.  We hoped that, somehow, even from this meaningless pandemic, which will test our individual and collective will, we have the skills and the imagination to visualise a better future. We relied on Viktor Frankl https://bit.ly/2QWAzAO to make us believe, because, he is not just an author but a survivor himself. 

…Act with courage

Then, after having sufficiently self-indulged in thinking about our own thoughts and feelings , we wanted to conjure up the need for action.  We were hoping to become more like little blue engine, https://bit.ly/2QZX6wq who discovered that Great Gull resides in her https://bit.ly/3bOjnVV. We were hoping that you mix, some of Mr. Kobayashi’s optimism https://bit.ly/3e0ZbCq with  the Admiral’s advice to be self – reliant, in a magic potion that will allow you to fashion an action plan. https://bit.ly/34GNYm7   

Talk to a few poets along the way….

At all points we just thought you may need a little bit of free-thinking faith https://bit.ly/2Uz7eyE  and lots of poetry  - Emily Dickson, Rilke, Langston Hughes -  to help you make that final decision to act. To go forth like Arjuna https://amzn.to/2X7Tlco and to “ meet the Road -  erect ".  We’ve experienced that along the way, you will need friends and colleagues to help you.  Pick them wisely like Dorothy did shorturl.at/hjq35 .  And yes, learn to be gritty – we can all learn to be more perseverant. 

The Good Will Return, It has to…

Finally, we know, that you know, that our proverbial glacier has melted, and perhaps there were some signs we ignored. But now, today,  all that we can do is build a sense of urgency, act like Adam Grant’s givers do https://bit.ly/39RIqGy - build alliances and share what we have with others. 

Then, only then. The good will return, it always does.

Thank you for reading…

Vinati @The Script.