I was reminded today by an esteemed mentor to surf the waves in these unusual times. Have I been surfing and what does that mean? Well in mindfulness terms I am talking about riding the wave of your emotions, watching calmly from the edge of them without blocking them or being overwhelmed.

I can officially say I have been dunked quite a few times and have been soaked thoroughly by the tide of overwhelm during this lockdown. But that doesn’t stop me learning to ride those waves again. I sit outside in my garden typing away, still a little on edge, but I know that only my connections can bring back my safety, my sense of calm and inner peace. I think back to my mindfulness course and particularly the week of seeking out the pleasant. I know that if I can absorb myself in a hobby that captures my awareness and imagination, even for a little while this will help. I’ve ordered a paint by numbers for adults but that won’t come for another 15 days.

So what do I have available to me right now at this moment? I feel the sun on the bottom of my feet. Soaking through to my bones. I notice my shoulders are tight and raised up. I lower them and take a long exhale. I turn back to my journal, a recently discovered friend I can talk to when there is no one else around. It feels cathartic to write, to connect with the page, to be heard in a time that is unusually quiet. I write and the world outside me seems to fade away and disappear from view.  I have my focus, on the words I write and on the feel of my fingertips against the keyboard. I have my inner peace.

Fiona MacCallum