Run DMZ

Every year I pick one word to guide my actions, thoughts, intentions, practices and relationships throughout the year. Lots of us do. I find it is a much better way to remain focused on self-improvement than devising resolutions when you’re rested and hopeful and have yet to resume real work.   Last year’s word eludes me. Whatever it was, I obviously abandoned it quickly in favor of another: Survive. It sounds melodramatic, but in truth every single one of us, whether touched directly by Covid-19 or not, were thrust into survival mode.    We had to elude an unknown and unseen killer and take a harsh look at friends, family and neighbors who reacted in ways we didn’t expect, even as death tolls rose and public health officials implored us to think of others. We had to survive months of quarantine with people whose habits, hygiene, hobbies and humanistic shortcomings we could no longer escape. We had to survive being unable to hold, touch, even see our closest family members, especially

This fall I became one of the first people to sign up for a brand-new venture that combines my long-time love of writing and renewed interest in meditation. I’d earlier attended a much longer workshop led by one of the co-founders and saw my own work immediately improve.   During one group meditation in mid-November, our guide said something that stuck with me, both then and now. It was about accepting a situation for what it is and, with that acceptance, being released from some of the associated discomfort. In the days prior to that moment, I had been struggling mightily both at home and at work. An uneven work-life integration continued to take its toll on me and those around me.   Are you the same person you were at the beginning of the year? Think hard. If your answer is still yes, then please tell us what you’re taking and if you brought enough for the rest of the class. I mean, seriously. This was a very hard year, no matter if you made a lot of money off it or lost family memb