What have you seen (in the midst of a pandemic)?

We’ve been under “shelter in place” since March 12, 2020, so for 9 weeks I’ve been writing in my journal about this experience and working to document and articulate what was happening in the world around me. How was this impacting me? My family? Those I have closest access to?  In total, I created 22 journal entries – some were long and emotional – some were short and sweet – all of them fell into the bucket of “unprecedented”.

This pandemic is an experience that none of us planned for and similar to many of the unforeseen experiences of life, they tend to sneak up and then Tsunami like…they are “everywhere” – news channels, social media, school announcements, emails…everywhere! My reality through this experience was (and is) tied to my perceptions and perspectives, so from my perspective, I was able to find some beauty within this whirlwind. Please don’t misinterpret what I’m saying…It wasn’t constant beauty. I had a family member impacted by this virus, I knew people who lost family members due to this virus, and I’m sure everyone knows someone who is now unemployed because of this virus. None of this would be fair to label as beauty, yet, through all of this- I still saw (and see) beauty. Our adventure on this planet took a turn. These moments, these experiences, these highs and lows…this is the present (and I’m choosing to live here and now).

What did I see?  Where was this beauty? To start – I reconnected to something very deep and very spiritual. That inspiration led to the creation of two characters (Mumma & Little One) for the book, “They All Went Inside”, and this story is in the hands of hundreds of people now and it tells one perspective about this pandemic and I’m hoping to have it in as many hands as possible. Hands willing and able to listen and consider these characters teachings.

Then - my wife and I worked on our house and our finances… we re-connected to the concept of needs versus wants and we shared these experiences with our children. Powerful lessons for all of us. We also mourned the loss and celebrated the life of a friend who passed during this time and my wife and I supported more teaching with our children: sharing love, and openly discussing what this experience could be like for our friends and their family. This dialogue is beauty!

I watched, read, and viewed a level of divisiveness that was also unprecedented. Topics like vaccinations, social distancing, conspiracy theories, political support, economic recovery, viral disaster planning, executive orders, free speech, and immune systems took on a life of their own and brought out, from my perspective, some of the worst of our human condition. Through this madness, our family continued to have dialogue about these topics and that was something that hadn’t been happening in my family (as frequently) pre-COVID. Again, more beauty.

I look forward to Michigan and the rest of the U.S. reopening, moving forward, and healing. I ask everyone to consider remaining in your heart during these times. Remain close to the things you love, the places you love, the people you love. Don’t allow the hustle and bustle to resume, unfettered, and allow this experience to become a distant memory. I pray to the God I believe in, the God who inspires me, that we all remember the power of dialogue: truly seeking to understand another’s perspective and using that perspective to learn and to grow (even if it means we completely disagree with the person we’re learning from).

These are the experiences that I considered beautiful during a global pandemic. If you’re willing, please share what you learned in the comments section, so I might be able to gather additional perspectives from those of you who see the world differently.

Love to all of you- Travis

If you enjoy these posts – you might enjoy one of my books, “Happiness is Over There” or “They All Went Inside” – both share stories that readers have deemed…inspiring.  Both books share my passion for love, creative thought, introspection, and personal accountability (in very different ways) and proceeds from these sales are donated to The Amity Foundation of Dearborn and The Manistee County Child Advocacy Center (both care for families in need). Through my publishing business, Paperclip Thinking LLC, I offer speaking engagements on these topics and in select situations, I offer Career and Family Coaching to those interested in becoming Paperclip Thinkers. You can buy books through my website www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com with any questions.

The beauty that isn't easily seen...

March 19, 2020

To my oldest child, Braeden, I’d like to share this with you - specifically you.  I’ve posted the article for others to see and read, although I’m writing this as if it were you and me and only you and me.  We are starting week 2 of “social distancing” and I know you’re pissed.  Aren’t all of us in some way, shape, or form?

It is one of the best clichés…”you never know what life holds”.  Well, let’s start with this – I never knew that we would be working from home together for a month (maybe more) and that our evenings would be filled with discussions about what “really” constitutes breaking the social distancing practice that we are currently applying in our lives.

I never knew that toilet paper, paper towels, chicken breasts, bread, and bottles of water would become the hot topic of the 2020 spring break season.  I never knew how much I enjoyed popping out to a movie theater to see a quick flick.  I never realized how much I could miss a 6am workout with some incredibly fun and engaging people, and I never knew how blessed we really are, until I read article after article about kids without breakfast and lunch, thousands of sick people, media coverage that is relentless in its inadvertent attempts to scare the shit out of everyone.  The cliché has come to life, “we never knew what life holds”, did we?

You and your classmates (around the world) who are scheduled to graduate from high school this spring/summer are facing an unprecedented time (at least over the last 100 years) and living in a time of uncertainty and fragility could make many people crumble, but not you.  I see you each day…so many of you and your friends – getting up, doing your thing, talking to each other, riding that mountain bike, walking that dog, Tik Tok (and more Tik Tok), crunching that homework, and through all of this you are growing and that growing is the beauty that you can’t see.  You began asking about building tables, buying lumber, and working with your hands.  You have found ways to get outside, safely, and maintain your energy and you are maintaining your focus through the most distracting of times.

You (and so many of your age-mates) have the right to choose to be pissed about what is happening.  You have the right to be frustrated and dismayed about this pandemic we face.  What’s pretty astonishing to me… through all of this – you’ve asked me how I’m doing more that I’ve asked you?  Ironic, right?  In a world where it’s assumed that the parent is to be looking after the child, I’ve experienced you looking after us.  I can see a confidence in your stance and through your behaviors, I’m feeling stronger and stronger that we are all going to be okay through this “hiccup”.  I trust in our friends, our family, our country, and in you and your generation.  We will most definitely experience an impact from all of this shit, and one thing that lays comfortably around me…you are strong (and so are all of you in the class of 2020).  Tears, emotions, shortness with your friends and family (all normal), because you are human and this is not easy or comfortable.  To the graduating class of COVID-19, let life throw its futile attempt at kicking you down.  You’re already showing all of us what it means to be resilient and that, too, is beauty that can’t be easily be seen.

Thank you, Braeden.  I love you.  Now…let’s plan for that exciting day when you can go back to school and get out of the damn house, so I can have my office room back! J

If you enjoy these posts – you might enjoy a copy of my book, “Happiness is Over There” – which is a personal memoir detailing the stories, learnings, and exercises I used to shift my life from dark and chaotic to a life of light and productivity.  Through Paperclip Thinking LLC, I also support group and individual coaching sessions as well as book talks for groups of 15-20.  You can buy a signed copy at www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com to arrange book delivery or set up coaching and group talks/sessions.

Gratitude Inventory

Inventories.  We use them in our manufacturing businesses to count our product lines, school districts take inventory of their students, and sport teams take inventory of their equipment and uniforms. 

I use an inventory concept within my life’s introspection and that inventory becomes an exercise that supports my personal growth, so I wanted to share with each of you.  I inventory the time I spend exercising, the time I spend reading and writing, the time I spend being productive in my career, the time I spend with friends and family.  These are things that I want ample supply, so I inventory them to ensure my life has these facets.  Others might have different areas to inventory, because we all choose different areas of our lives that we deem to be important.  Interestingly enough, one area I haven’t paid attention to was an inventory of the gratitude I share with the world, the people around me, and the people I come in contact with.  How much gratitude do I recognize and share, daily?

What do I have in my gratitude inventory?  I went back through my experiences and thought about the different times of my life and here is a sample of what I’ve uncovered:

I’ve enjoyed my tenacity for experiences.  I’ve built a career that has added value to the clients I’ve supported and to my family.  I’ve continued my life-long education, I’ve learned to cook, to clean, to install ceiling fans, to paint, to drive.  I’ve flown all over the world, I’ve seen different countries, and there are plenty more to see.  I’ve been fortunate to learn how to love and I’ve learned the experiences of nature, talking to trees, watching the life cycle of a lake’s wave, and I’ve been blessed to write poetry, stories, and a book.  I’ve coached and inspired other people.  I’ve experienced wealth and financial despair.  I’ve experienced healthy and unhealthy physical intimacy. I’ve had light and darkness.  I’ve learned to listen (although I still talk too much) and I’m learning how to ask great questions that lead to great dialogue.

And this gratitude inventory led me to remember the most critical piece of my life, which is the ability to love myself, and this is reinforced through this exercise, daily.  Remember to have (dialogue) because it creates (connection), which leads to (opportunities) for amazing (experiences).  Your life’s gratitude inventory could lead to some amazing experiences- I hope you’ll try it.

Whole

We all begin this journey whole.

The experiences begin do we dismantle to learn?

To Yearn.

To Grow.

Piece by Piece dismantle can feel destructive…

Is it?

We are whole the entirety of our lives.

Never pieces always whole.

We’re always enough yet the masks we’ve chosen to wear separate.

Separate us from who we are.

Our wholeness is not far.

The more we connect.

Ask and share.

Dialogue’s a way to eliminate our despair.

Remember the awe the gratitude for all.

We are whole, we are enough.

Please stand tall.

If you enjoy these posts – you might enjoy a copy of my book, “Happiness is Over There” – which is a personal memoir detailing the stories, learnings, and exercises I used to shift my life from dark and chaotic to a life of light and productivity.  Through Paperclip Thinking LLC, I also support group and individual coaching sessions as well as book talks for groups of 15-20.  You can buy a signed copy at www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com to arrange book delivery or set up coaching and group talks/sessions.