Success

My first thoughts this morning were these. The sun is still shining. It's still May and it still feels like March. (In Pennsylvania) And COVID 19 is still very much a part of our lives. If consistency is the key to success, I have to wonder if success is really all it's cracked up to be.

With that I started to wonder to myself, "What is success?". And "What does success mean in our fight against COVID 19?" So I fired up the blog. After all, what is a blog if not a playground for the mind.

 According to online Merriam-Webster, success is a degree or measure of succeeding and alternatively, a favorable or desired outcome. To John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, success is an attitude. He is quoted as saying “Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

By either standard, success is a very personal thing. It becomes what each of us wants it to be. And therein lies a problem. Success is an opinion. And the opinions about how to beat COVID 19 and what constitutes success in the battle are almost as varied as there are people. And, as we humans tend to do, we take sides.

From shelter in placers to the freedom (of work and play) fighters. Within each camp there are also multiple fires to gather around. There are defectors. There are 'prodigal son' returns. The line between the camps is blurred. COVID 19 is messy and uncomfortable.

I'd like to say that I've seen more coming together than divisiveness over COVID 19. Some days I think I have. Others not so much. I think that is because on any given day, we are not entirely sure how we feel. On any given day some of us can't control how we feel or react to those feelings.

If "life is the messy bits", then COVID 19 is life. Ugh. I do not like that thought at all.

So if success is an opinion, are we all entitled to our own? Yikes!! I think that's another blog post entirely. And likely someone else's blog. Because while I have opinions (ha ha) on that I do not feel anywhere near qualified or comfortable enough to go there at this time.

Getting back to the musings that started this blog - "What is success?". And "What does success mean in our fight against COVID 19?". If success is an opinion then I guess I have to decide what it means to me. Answer: I.HAVE.NO.CLUE.

I am in the Shelter in Place camp. I believe it is the right thing. However, I have a job that, for now at least, can be accomplished remotely. That means I have a steady paycheck. So many others do not. Which makes me ask myself, is shelter in place the right thing or is it just easier for me to believe it is, since I have security that others do not? My fear of dying (or someone I know dying) is greater than my fear of not being able to pay bills. Likewise, I fear that the needs of the people who must get back to work will "win" the battle of COVID 19. I am afraid that I am wrong. That I am putting my faith in the wrong people or things. It's a messy, uncomfortable place. 

Realizing that I've said that twice now, I think success (for me and for today) is finding ways to be comfortable and neat more comfortable and neater. If I'm going to survive this, I need to strive for degrees not perfection.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
Stay safe
-Paula