How many times a day do you hear, “2020 sucks!”, or “throw the whole year away”? How many times have you also said this yourself? As for me, I admittedly profess to also taking part in the banter.  When the pandemic hit, quarantine well in place, homeschooling a 4-year-old was just getting started, and no sign of toilet paper in the foreseeable future, I would say I’ve definitely had my moments.

But here’s the thing, what if 2020 really doesn’t suck? What if 2020 is the call we’ve all needed to awaken us from a robotically comatose level of unconsciousness? A wake up call that has made us so completely uncomfortable that we’ve had no choice but to shift into another level of consciousness where the end result is more patience with our children, closeness and intimacy with our spouse, empathy and compassion for all of humanity, and an impenetrable sense of self love and healing.

The sagest words of advice I’ve yet to receive came to me approximately 12 or 13 years ago.  I had just begun practicing Nichiren Buddhism (think Angela Basset in What’s Love Got To Do With It) and I had a spiritual mentor that I affectionately referred to as my “Buddha Mom”.  In short, Buddha Mom shared that when I were to begin chanting (praying) for absolute happiness, peace of mind, and physical, spiritual and emotional well-being thru every fiber of my being, to be prepared for life as I’ve known it to be turned upside down. You see, for the light to seep in, you must allow the cracks.  Your comfort level becomes uncomfortable.  The job you had for years, may not serve you any longer.  The company you keep, may not fulfil your soul.  You may go thru a whirl wind of transition, and it will not be pretty. It’s not magic, you cannot pray for absolute happiness and expect for it to be turned on like a light switch.  There is work involved. Obviously, you are not happy with the present conditions in order to wish for change, so that change will occur for you to become the person to manifest and attract the life you want to live. That was the biggest Ah-Ha moment I’ve had to date.

In sharing that, what if this is the global version of said perspective?  What if the universe wants us all to get our acts together and in order to do so, we must cocoon to emerge a butterfly? What if this is the age of ascension?

It is my belief that 2020 is a year of metamorphosis and great transition.  This year has forced me to greatly simplify my life and find joy in the now.  I am sitting still. I am content with being home and getting to know myself, my spouse, and my son all over again and with less outside noise and distraction. I am finding solace in the unknown and it feels amazing.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not void of empathy for those that have and/or are suffering greatly.  There has been great tragedy within these unprecedented times, and I am not desensitizing that trauma. More so, I am looking forward to the silver-lining and knowing that great change occurs in the dawn following the darkest of nights.