Stay Ready
...so you don't have to get ready. These words came to me in the summer of 2019 (from a dear friend who was an exceptional athlete; now an exceptional coach, educator, and community leader) as I gracefully walked into a very unique yoga opportunity.
This particular summer, as a school teacher, I chose to do very little work; only taking on projects that were nourishing to me emotionally, spiritually, and physically. As an independent yoga and dance teacher I was okay with it too, and was not teaching much. In the midst of this I was regularly paroozing a local yoga teacher group, and saw the need for a short contract with the Columbus Crew. It was an opportunity to teach for their upcoming youth development training in Columbus, Ohio.
Needless to say, I reached out and was asked to take on the task. There was not much need for major preparation because I do this...like...150% of my life is teaching yoga with 75% of that to youth. I did not have to get ready because I stay ready. My friend is the one who made me sit with this awareness. As I considered the notion, I realized that I usually am ready and prepared for most situations, on purpose. It is literally just how I live my life. I was raised this way.
My father is a Vietnam Veteran. My mother was raised in her early years by her father (a former sharecropper and coal miner I do believe) with her 3 older brothers. One of whom was in the army during her upbringing...I think you can see where this is going. It is truly in my family's nature to be ready on all levels for all things because you do not know what things will arise. It was never from a space of fear or anxiety. It was simply how we live our lives. Being ready to share a meal with the pastor and his family, if your car breaks down at night, if you get sick after the doctor's office is closed, your dress tears while you are on your way to prom, or your son's soccer game gets rained out is just something ingrained in us.
This wake of COVID-19 is no different. As my sisters and I joked about the lack of certain resources in stores we all said "If we run out of toilet paper, which we better not, we know who has toilet paper..Mona!" And we were right! She has toilet paper to last us (3 girls plus her) for several months. But that's just how we do things. Now, I can say she has intentionally bought a smidge more than usual. But her current stock was mostly generated prior to COVID-19.
A few people have checked in on me this past 2 weeks, and seemed slightly taken back that Josiah and I don't need anything, and that we are not emotionally distressed. Once again...it's just how we do things. I would not call it disaster preparedness. For us it is life preparedness. We stay ready, so we don't have to get ready.
There is nothing worse than not being prepared when you easily could have been. It took 1 time for my Josiah to have to ride home in a cold, wet soccer uniform for me to get THAT together! Never again! I felt awful. How could I have not been ready for that?
Either way...For your reading pleasure and knowledge here are a few life ways that we implement that have become our saving grace during this time:
For the Mental..Always remember:
Pray, Read, Meditate...Daily
Be okay with yourself.
Boredom is a state of mind that can be changed.
Take each day at a time. You can only deal with "now".
Share your thoughts and emotions freely, and respectfully.
Find joy in the small things.
You have the power to choose how you will respond/react to things.
For the Home..Always have:
2-week food supply
Food staples: bread, eggs, flour, sugar, pasta, rice, lentils/legumes, cooking oil, spices
1-month paper product supply
2-month toiletry and cleaning product supply
My hope is that you all are safe, and well in the fullness of the word as we live through this unique time on this earth. Take care of yourselves. Be kind to yourselves. Then do the same for others.
March 2020