Skip to content
  • Home
  • The why
  • Contact me
clear

Catching the Curveball

The art of dealing with the unexpected

the art of dealing with the unexpected

Embracing a new season
In:AcceptanceDirectionGriefHopePositiveRealityUncategorized

Embracing a new season

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020

I have a confession. I’ve had an affair. And now I want what I had – back. It’s time to embrace a new season!

I can assure you all that I am still (very happily) married to my gorgeous hunk of a man – in fact my very last post OVER A YEAR AGO – was all about our wonderful Italian 25th-anniversay-moon… but I strayed from my blog writing… and had an affair with…. LIFE! And then Covid-19 hit – and life got all kinds of “interesting”!

But now as I feel the flurry of my fingers tap out my thoughts – I have re-discovered the rush that writing can be! And so I want to get back to regular blogging – I can only hope it will have me back!

It is true isn’t it – “we don’t know what we had, till it’s gone” (an understatement in this year of lockdowns and restrictions!)

Excuses, excuses

I don’t really have an excuse for why I stopped blogging. Things just got super busy – we came back from our trip of a lifetime to Italy (I still need to share my secrets about Sicily and Tuscany), work and home life was my focus – a few wonderful work distractions happened (like the time I flew my micro team at Resolve Estate Law to Chicago for a long weekend for the IACP forum conference – yup I am just a tad unhinged) – then I was honoured with a string of incredibly humbling law awards – and THEN Christmas was upon us.

It was then that I hoped to breathe and write again, but no sooner had we packed our baubles away – bushfires ravaged our beautiful country… and THEN the Covid-crazy of 2020 hit – and I just felt ill equipped to say anything at all.

Why now?

SO – why am I stepping back in to write my blog now? I doubt that my personal experience of the weirdness that has followed for us all this year is too different from your experience. Time has passed now – we took our first lockdowns seriously, then we got a bit complacent, we had a wake up call as we watched second waves come and now we are realising that what we thought might be over in a few months is not.

As I type Queensland is easing restrictions and while our fellow Victorians are still toughing out lockdowns after a second wave hit. Other parts of the world are dealing with far worse. But everything is relative – and we all now know how quickly things can change.

But – time has passed now. In what seems to be the longest year in our recent history, none of us can quite believe that the end of this year is coming. Time has passed – and it keeps on ticking.

I have – like many of you – had time to process. Time to percolate. I’ve been forced to cull activity from my life which has in turn created space for a slower way of life. I’ve had time to gather my thoughts and articulate those in the many conversations that I have had enjoyed over zoom, phone and more recently in person (socially distanced of course!). So I thought it might be a good time to reconnect with my writing and those of you (over 15,000 of you I was amazed to see!) who have followed my ramblings…

I hate to break it to you

Truth is – I do have something to say now. But I doubt it will be very popular.

I saw this meme recently (I couldn’t find who to credit, so if you know, please let me know so I can).

It seems to me that bulk of the world at the moment are wishing away 2020 so that we can all turn a collective new leaf to farewell this “annus horribilis” (horrible year) – and welcome in a New Year – full of hope and promise!

BUT I can’t shake the feeling that 2021 is not going to be better – and for many it might look more like the frame that follows the photo captured in the meme! Ouch!!

I am not saying this in some kind of perverse doomsday, panic, kind of way (so don’t go running out and buying toilet paper again PLEASE!) – but I say it in a way that questions why the changing of a calendar year should matter at all.

A new season

Here’s the thing. This whole year has been hideous and yet there is beauty in it. It has been awful and yet we have learned things that only THIS slowing down could ever teach us. It has been upending and yet we have somehow found a new equilibrium of existence that is starkly different from the fast paced life we forced ourselves to live before the pandemic hit.

As I have shared with others the “upsides” I have come to embrace – others have shared how they have (almost secretly) revelled in the newfound freedom of not feeling pressured to say yes (or no) to commitments that often stretch us and others who do life with us to their limits.

This weirdness, this uncertainty, this on again, off again life, this new season of unknowing – it’s not going to end after 31 December rolls around. We won’t be able to say “good riddance to the s%*t show that was 2020” and the New Year isn’t going to be a huge party to welcome in – as if by magic – a clean start.

Life as we know it – right now – will go on. We will come out of lockdowns and we may very well be forced back into them. Seasons will come and go – but this new way of living in the uncertainty will stay for a lot longer than we think. At least until a vaccine is broadly available – which could still be a year (or years) away.

This is a new season. Our new normal – even if it is anything but! And just as in any loss – as awful as it is to embrace what we don’t want for our life – we need to find a path to acceptance if we want to escape constant disappointment.

Easier said than done though right? But we can do it – we have just forgotten how.

Deep down in our humanity – we do know how to survive this. It’s just that life for many of us has been without any incident big enough to teach us how to live in contentment despite our circumstances.

We fear loss and failure and death and risk and pain and heartache and uncertainty so much that we have chosen not to face it or live it, or love it or embrace it. Yet it’s as much a part of love and joy and overcoming and winning and happiness – as life itself.

Reaching acceptance

So better we get used to uncertainty. Better we acknowledge our circumstances. Better we accept that heartache may come. It all is just part of this crazy thing called life – like it or not.

This whole covid experience is a grief-like experience – it is why we can swing from denial, to depression, then anger to sadness – but it won’t be until we reach a point of acceptance that we will find some way to live through this – well.

So we have a choice.

We either bury our heads in the sand – and hope that life will go on and when we pop up for air it will all be ok (only to discover, of course, that it isn’t). Or we run with it – and see where this new season takes us.

We look fear in the eye and say we won’t allow it to paralyse us anymore, but instead to empower us to take the leap, or find our way around the obstacle. We face disconnection and loneliness and ask – how can I find connection in different ways, or with others who are my “neighbours” in this? We see loss and say – I won’t let this defeat me – I have lived with something or someone wonderful for as long as I did – and now I will find a new way to live on, in the fullest way I can manage.

We might feel like we don’t have a choice. But we do.

We choose each day, whether we wish our life with all of its circumstances away – or whether we grab it with both hands and find a way to live it all – love, joy, pain, loss – mixed together. And still find the beauty in each day.

I for one – don’t want to miss a thing. The weird, the crazy, the uncertain, the loss, the opportunities, the ups, the downs – I will sooner have them all than not be here to say I have lived life and survived.

How about you? Are you ready to stick with this – for as long as it takes? To learn what ever it is we can from this shake up? To do what we can with who we are to make the most of this weirdness? Or at least to go with the flow of where it will take us?

Then let’s not wish this year away – life is just too short for that.

Let’s instead embrace this crazy new season – and allow it to take us on a journey. Eyes wide open – to all possibilities! It will be here longer than we think – so let’s not keep living with some imaginary, ever moving finish line ahead of us. Let’s just live out this new season – the best we know how – every single day we are blessed with our breath and time.

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and if the blog has struck a cord please do share a link to it! It’s nice to be back in the saddle again!

accept, acknowledge, New Normal, new season

Post navigation

Previous postCelebrate Friendships – World Down Syndrome Day 2020!

Related Posts

The art of living after loss - visioning your new normal
The art of living after…
Acceptance in grief
Reaching acceptance in grief

Hello

I am Zinta Harris. I live in Brisbane, Australia with my husband of 25 years, Craig (known by most as Harry) and our two children Teja and Zigi. I am a specialist wills and estates lawyer by day and inspiration seeker by night. I help Australian families navigate the legal fallout after the loss of a loved one in a calm and compassionate way. My mood is better after a daily double shot coffee and a glass or two of bubbles. I get my energy from people. My superpower is encouraging others. It is my sincere hope that this blog will encourage you. I hope it gives you a chance to chime in with your experience or to feel part of a community that has walked through a valley and made it through. Read about me

Check out my new book! “Rest in Peace” – how to manage an estate dispute without inheriting heartache

https://resolveestatelaw.com.au/

Popular posts

Embracing a new season
Embracing a new season
Celebrating Friendship - World Down Syndrome Day
Celebrate Friendships – World Down Syndrome Day 2020!
Sunset over Florence
Italy bucket list trip insider tips – Florence

Follow me on Facebook!

Tags

Acceptance Anger Beauty Bucket list Celebrate Community Direction Family Grief Hope Identity Lifestyle Love Parenting Positive Reality Uncategorized

Insta Inspiration

So blessed to enjoy this gorgeous day at our favou So blessed to enjoy this gorgeous day at our favourite stretch of beach! ⛱

How lucky we are to have #kirrabeach and
#greenmountbeach at our doorstep!🌊
.
Crystal clear aqua water, gentle rolling waves, sun, sand and salt air. 🌞
.
No wonder they call it #beachtherapy! 🏖
.
Feeling super grateful to live in Australia right now! 🇭🇲
.
#vitaminsea #someonehastodoit #lastdaysofholidays
How is this for a silver lining? 🌞 . Playing ho How is this for a silver lining? 🌞
.
Playing hookie at the beach on a Friday ahead of the weekend.🌊
.
Not bad. Not bad at all! ⛱
.
#silverlinings #dayoffvibes #makingthemostofit
Thanks to Covid we have waited for 8 months to far Thanks to Covid we have waited for 8 months to farewell our dear Maija.💞
.
When Brisbane went into lockdown we were worried we might not make it.💔
.
But today we got our chance.💫
.
Maija knew she was dying. She learned of her terrible #motorneuronedisease diagnosis a few years ago. But that didn't stop her from living her best life. She lived colourfully right to the end. 🎉
.
She taught us so much about her condition in a matter of fact way and helped us all to accept the fact that she was leaving this world early - because she had herself made peace with it. 🕊
.
What made her service so special was the fact that she had chosen every song, every scripture and every poem. So she spoke to us as we remembered her.💌
.
It was a privilege to farewell her - we brought gardenias from our own garden - the kids wore jewellery she had gifted them - we sang and waved as we watched her ashes delivered to the sea. 🌊
.
Farewell beautiful, colourful Maija. May you finally be at rest on the waves of the ocean...😘
.
#funeralservice #finalfarewell #atpeace
So thrilled to announce Concettina's appointment a So thrilled to announce Concettina's appointment as Senior Associate! 🎉
.
Concettina will mark her 10th year working with us this year. She is an invaluable member of our micro team and has been instrumental in its successes both big and small. 💥
.
Now...to get those new business cards sorted out! 🤣
.
#announcement #seniorassociate #shesakeeper
Well hello there 2021 working year!👋 . After a Well hello there 2021 working year!👋
.
After a lovely break we are excited to be back at work today!🤩
.
We have quite a few new things in the pipeline for 2021 AND some exciting things share!💥
.
But first - there are inboxes to clear, phone messages to check and to do lists to set up! 🖥
.
For those who have already been at it - how long do you give us for the holiday glow to disappear?😎
.
#backtowork #holidaysareover #firstdayback #bringon2021
Every single day is a new start. 💥 . Every Mond Every single day is a new start. 💥
.
Every Monday is the chance to re-set and begin a new week well!🤩
.
It's ONE of the reasons why I've come to quite like Mondays! But that might have something to do with the fact that my first working day is a Tuesday!🤣
.
Here's to the start of a new week (and the rest of life)! Anyone else counting down till school goes back?😋
.
#mindsetmonday #starttheweekright #siezetheday #todayisanewday #backtoschoolcountdown
Same same but different! 😍😍 . Zigi spent som Same same but different! 😍😍
.
Zigi spent some time working with dad yesterday and hung out with grandad Keith today - in #matchymatchy shirts! 👕👕
.
#schoolholidayfun #samesamebutdifferent #matchingshirts
Poor Captain Harris is confused. 🤷‍♀️ . B Poor Captain Harris is confused. 🤷‍♀️
.
Back in BrisVegas but not yet back at work! 😎
.
We are doing some behind the scenes changes to set up for what is shaping up to be a big year! 💥
.
#captainharris #behindthescenes🎬 #newfoundation
Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • instagram
  • linkedin
  • pinterest