March 28, 2020: Day 13 - Yes And...

I find the human brain fascinating.  There are so many things our brains do, with and without us even thinking about it.  It's an incredibly complex organ, performing multiple tasks every minute, every second, of every day.  There is no shortage of absolutely phenomenal things our brains can do.  But, one of the coolest things about this marvelous thinking organ is that it has the capacity to hold two opposing ideas in our minds...at once.

I've been thinking about this a lot, in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.  I see tons of posts everyday encouraging us to find the joys and blessings of every passing day sheltered in place, but I see every bit as many posts centered on the frustrations and inconveniences of this experience.  Here's what I think.  We can have both.  We can do both.  We can be both.

Our fantastical brains can allow us to both feel happy for increased time with our families at home, and also be a little overwhelmed that we have, in fact, so much time together, at home. 

We can feel really anxious about having to go to the store and opening ourselves up to potential life-threatening germs, and also feel really appreciative that there's enough money in the bank to buy food from the market.

Some of us may feel anger towards our political leaders and local politicians, and still experience a sense of peace for the personal decisions we are making for ourselves and our families.

With modern technology, those of us who find ourselves more isolated than others have the opportunity to connect through various technological means.  We can be distanced and social at the same time.

We can fear for the health care workers that are being sent to help people without proper gear and equipment, and still feel safe in the comfort of our own homes.

We can be disappointed about sports seasons, weddings, graduations and other events being cancelled, but we can also feel grateful for what we do have presently.

We can experience hope, and still feel like everything is falling apart - everywhere around us.

In our society, we spend so much time trying to make situations this or that.  Democrat, Republican.  Cats or dogs.  Heroes or villains.  Right or wrong.  Black or white.  Everything feels like an either or proposition.  But, the reality is, the world is both a terrible and wonderful place.  Good, and bad, things do happen here.  We are surrounded by dualities in our complex, complicated lives, but we do not have to succumb to them. 

To think we have to be one way or the other in such a singular fashion is a false choice.  American writer, and novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald, once said, "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." I find so much comfort there.  We don't have to choose one way to be, think, or feel over another. Our brains have the capacity to choose "both."  Do we?