hope

“We make things and seed them into the world, never fully knowing — often never knowing at all — whom they will reach and how they will blossom in other hearts, how their meaning will unfold in contexts we never imagined.” PICO IYER

It is no secret that we are currently living through a global crisis.

It's truly heartbreaking how many people will be affected by the Coronavirus pandemic in a way that will be life altering forever. And, many others that are suffering in ways that will affect their livelihood in the months to follow. Throughout all the terrifying uncertainty, the one thing that is certain is that we are all united in our shared experience. In times when we are experiencing grief, pain, loss, or uncertainty, it can be difficult to fall back on the practices, routines, or rituals that we know serve us best on our hardest of days. This is the time to really study the teachings on impermanence, non-attachment, and on what is most essential to your spiritual well-being.

While we don’t want to neglect the importance of educating ourselves on the devastating statistical facts that this virus has and will have, we also know that there are millions of news broadcasts doing that very well. So, as much as possible we want to share with our community all of the GOOD that is still happening at this time, all of the positive news and togetherness that has already come of this crisis, and all of the resources we have for inspiration and motivation to help get us through these troubling times.

There isn’t much that is certain living in the middle of a pandemic, but what is certain is that we have to move forward. And, if we choose to take this one day at a time, we can choose the intention of how we approach each day. I urge you not to stop seeking out joy. We can't stop noticing the flowers are in bloom, we can’t stop noticing the sun rising and setting, and we can't stop counting our blessings.

Self-isolation has shaken the masses to look at what is essential to survival. All throughout social media I see people spending time in solitude under nature's backdrop, I see families making homemade meals together, I see friends laughing through zoom chats, virtual happy hours, and viral meditations.

I also see people taking control of their health. I see people planting seeds, building garden beds, organizing their homes, and learning how to live with less.

And yes, while we still must be vigilant about what we can do to overcome this and stay real about what is happening, let's not forget life still has the ability to be GOOD. And, we can learn from this.

We know you’re spending a little more time inside, so here are a few articles we have found that highlight ways in which people have turned their Coronavirus situations into a vehicle of hope and love. We hope that they are uplifting and inspirational for you during these days when things feel so heavy and hopeless.

Virtual Happy hour Concerts: LIVE concerts in Richmond, Virginia from one living room to another. I’ve been seeing these pop up all over the globe. Artists sharing their gifts in the time of crisis. https://richmondgrid.com/virtual-happy-hour-house-show-series/

Italians in Quarantine & Still Singing from their balconies:  Still finding joy, raising their spirits, and uplifting the global energetic vibration. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/03/16/coronavirus-italians-keep-spirits-up-by-singing-from-balconies-during-lockdown/

Jimmy Fallon Home Shows: Not only is Jimmy Fallow broadcasting from home to help generate some laughs (videoed by his wife), but he has already created a donation platform to help those in need during the current pandemic. https://www.wzpl.com/2020/03/18/jimmy-fallon-does-the-tonight-show-from-home/

#VIRALKINDNESS: Becky Wass, from the county of Cornwall in the U.K., created a postcard stating, “Hello! If you are self-isolating, I can help.” With space for people to fill out their contact details and whether they would like help with shopping, posting mail, or simply a phone call. This act of kindness went viral and caused others to do the same. One woman posted, “Let’s spread kindness instead of viruses, because kindness is contagious too.” https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-compassion-the-kindness-postcard-and-other-heartwarming-gestures.html

The Front Porch Photography Series: Throughout history creatives have used times of struggle and despair to propel them into projects that seek to spread light and hope to their surrounding communities and beyond. The Front Porch project is not only raising funds for photographers and other freelancers affected by the pandemic, it's bringing communities outside and together in our temporary physical separation:

• https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/frontstepsproject/
• https://www.instagram.com/cvilleporchraits/
• https://www.instagram.com/carasoulia/

The Sofa Singers: "The Sofa Singers is a free & weekly online singing event that aims to bring people together from around the world to spark joy and human connection. Set up by vocal leader James Sills as a response to global self isolation during the Coronavirus outbreak, The Sofa Singers bring together hundreds of people in real time for 45 minutes of simultaneous singing, learning a classic song with some optional harmonies/backing parts.” https://www.thesofasingers.net/

Coronavirus leads to huge drop in air pollution: This could be mother nature’s way of telling us all to slow down and respect the earth in ways that we haven’t been practicing up until this point. Perhaps the decline in air pollution will be a motivator for the world to shift into a more sustainable and responsible life. https://www.positive.news/environment/coronavirus-pandemic-leads-to-huge-drop-in-air-pollution/

Reduction in emissions in China could save as many as 77,000 lives:A Researcher from Stanford University has calculated that the reduction in emissions in China during the Coronavirus could save as many as 77,000 lives. If that number is put into context, that's more than 20 times the number of people who died from Coronavirus during that time. http://www.g-feed.com/2020/03/covid-19-reduces-economic-activity.html

Woman doing grocery runs for the elderly: In all parts of the world where people are struggling the most, many people are taking action by being a superior neighbor. People are reaching out to those around them that are in isolation, are elderly and unable to shop for groceries. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/grocery-runs-for-seniors-during-coronavirus/

A new light on the internet causing more connection: Forced video chatting during a period of global anxiety could improve our quality of communication leading to more frequent and more meaningful conversations. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/03/social-distancing-coronavirus-videochat-facetime/608038/

Couple Married on the Streets of New York City during the Coronavirus outbreak: This couple didn’t let the outbreak stop them wanting to make their commitment to each other public. With their friend officiating from his 4th story apartment, they were married on the streets of NYC. https://www.today.com/news/good-news