Now that we are in the recovery phase, what do we do?
The recovery phase of the pandemic is a reflective, decision-making and potentially confusing time for some. Where we may want to put everything back the way it was, move-on and never think about it again, that just is not going to work. The past two plus years have brought enormous changes to the world. Some changes were necessitated to keep the world going during this time; closing of movie theatres, social distancing, mandatory masks, and they have mostly disappeared. Other changes, virtual work environments, online grocery shopping and QR Code menus are still with us and are now part of our culture. To believe that “we can go back” to how it was is a recipe for frustration and personal and organizational disaster.
Over the past few months, we have been reading, speaking with a diverse group of individuals and reflecting on our own experiences to formulate ideas of how to move forward and grow during this time. Four areas that have emerged for us are generosity and compassion, family and quality relationships, passion-based purpose and meaning and living with vigor and love.
Generosity and Compassion
Recently we attended a concert, performed by Andrea Bocelli. The event was indescribable. The passion and love for the performers was electric. Over 7,500 individuals, sitting on chairs and the hillside, taking in the emotional intensity of the performance was magical. Andrea Bocelli connected with the audience in so many ways. Through his magnificent singing, sharing the stage with his son Matteo and other performers, he spoke of the personal meaning of his work and family.
What struck us that evening was the generosity and compassion of this individual. Before the program started there was a brief overview of the work of The Andrea Bocelli Foundation, (ABF) which was created in 2011 “to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy and distress due to illness and social exclusion.” Since 2011 the ABF has donated over 43 million Euros.
His generosity and compassion is what comes through his voice and his presentation. When we give of ourselves, we are one with the world.
Family
Family, whether biological or created, is foundational to understanding self and to creating a healthy future. As a result, a recent visit to Carpineto Romano, Italy, my father’s hometown, our family has three generations who relate to each other. Our time in this ancient beautiful mountainous area was very special. As you can see from the introduction picture that accompanies this Volume of The ZONE the area is beautiful and memorable. Upon reflection I found that I felt connected with my parents and other ancestors. Research suggests that individuals who have a strong healthy family, live longer. Relating to one’s family, whether they are across the street or across the ocean, biological or created, one’s life will be richer.
Passion-based Purpose and Meaning
During our time in Italy we visited our favorite family winery, Casa Emma. Organic farming and
passionate about what they are creating. As the winemaker explained the process of making their
wine, you could hear and see the commitment and dedication given to her work. Even though Italy
is experiencing a drought, the winery is staying true to their organic principles. “Tradition is
respect for our origins and for our past, it means producing following Tuscan Wine Culture.”
When you work from a sense of purpose, your decisions, goals and behaviors are guided by this
emotion and offers sustained meaning to life.
Vigor and Love
On another day we took time to explore Cinque Terre, a beautiful area of Italy along its northern coast. Cinque Terre is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the 5 villages, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces and harbors are filled with fishing boats.
However, living and being a resident of Cinque Terre can be trying and difficult at times. The steep cliffs and roadways and constant hordes of hikers can make every trip, no matter how short, a test of stamina and patience. Cultivating the lands via terraces can also be hard work. Probably most concerning are mud slides and raging streams of water from long rainfalls that can pose threats to individuals and property. Why then do people want to live in this area?
Individuals who choose to live here, do so with vigor and love. They are aware of the challenges and they choose to meet them to reach their goal, living in Cinque Terre. As with any resilient individual or organization, having a clear and compelling purpose is essential to success. Also, the support of neighbors and others who have chosen this beautiful area to live in, is essential. Again, with any resilient individual or organization they will have a supportive system of management and colleagues who help them solve any problems or issues.
Key Takeaways
“Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow. You’re always a day a way.” ~Annie
“You know the good ole days weren’t always good, and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.” ~ Billy Joel
“Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call, and I’ll be there. You’ve got a friend.” ~Carole King
Best Practices
Reflect on what is important to you.
Put a plan together to operationalize your goal.
Keep your purpose in mind daily.
Things to Limit
Spending too much time looking in the rearview mirror.
Believing that life will not be good again.
Thinking that you are in this alone.
Quote of the Week
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
~C.S. Lewis
In summary, we are now in a phase of recovery exploring what we expect and want from life. This can cause us frustration. However, if we look around and reflect on the resources that we have at our disposal, and act on them, we can gain back a sense of control that we may believe we have lost over the past few years.
Be well,
The paraDocs
Check our Welcome Greeting on YouTube
The paraDocs are Dr. Francis L. Battisti, PhD, Psychotherapist, Distinguished Psychology Professor and former Executive V.P and Chief Academic Officer and Dr. Helen E. Battisti PhD, RDN, CDN, Chief Nutrition Officer, at SpNOD, Health Promotion Specialist, Research and Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and former Assistant Professor.
We have developed "The ZONE", because that is exactly where you want to be during this pandemic. A place of focused attention to doing exactly what needs to be done to get you to where you need to be. The purpose of The Zone is to provide a nationally distributed weekly mental-health and nutrition tip-sheet during times of change.
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