Whenever the going gets tough as it is now during the pandemic and my positive mental health & well-being needs a boost, I love paying more attention to wisdom from elders and what they have to say.
Elder, Aline Laflamme: We have to be like water...
Below is a positive mental health gem from a beloved elder in my life, Aline Laflamme, a Metis Indigenous leader who recently wrote:
Pandemic Blues?
We have to be like water now. When one way is blocked, the water doesn't pout and scream. It just flows in another direction. When all ways are blocked, the water becomes a still lake. Let's be water!
Our enjoyment of the day lies within ourselves. It is in our attitude. We can adopt an attitude of acceptance: We are in a pandemic and need to isolate for a while. Okay, social activities are blocked. What else would be fun? useful? enjoyable? fulfilling? Let's do that!
Then we need our attitude of gratitude… Let's be like calm water: Flow where we can and settle when needed... Calm, accepting water flowing happily where there is an opening…
Enjoy the great gift of today. We will never see this one again so we might as well really enjoy it.
~ Aline Laflamme
Pandemic Blues?
We have to be like water now. When one way is blocked, the water doesn't pout and scream. It just flows in another direction. When all ways are blocked, the water becomes a still lake. Let's be water!
Our enjoyment of the day lies within ourselves. It is in our attitude. We can adopt an attitude of acceptance: We are in a pandemic and need to isolate for a while. Okay, social activities are blocked. What else would be fun? useful? enjoyable? fulfilling? Let's do that!
Then we need our attitude of gratitude… Let's be like calm water: Flow where we can and settle when needed... Calm, accepting water flowing happily where there is an opening…
Enjoy the great gift of today. We will never see this one again so we might as well really enjoy it.
~ Aline Laflamme
Elder, Larry Grant: How to weather the storm...
If you’d like another positive well-being gem, I invite you to listen to my friend and colleague, Elder Larry Grant from Musqueam First Nations share his insights from Essential Worldview Skills on how to weather the storm of our current pandemic through self-exploration of our strengths, hurts, and triggers to better get to know ourselves.
My questions to you are:
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and any wisdom from elders in your life.
Share a Comment Below.
- How can you be more like water?
- Where is there an opening in your life?
- How can you use this time to deepen your sense of home and build an even deeper sense of belonging and connectedness for yourself and others?
I am more like a bulldog than like water. I am able to see alternatives, but many times I am determined to continue on the path that’s important to me. I suppose if it’s blocked, I will search for alternatives/openings, but I don’t like to give up the path I’m on to find another one. I’m not particularly interested in belonging and connecting. I like being a loner and focusing on the things that are important to me, the changes I want to facilitate if possible. “Make the World a Better Place” ..
Thanks Carolyn, for me belonging includes belonging fully to ourselves (our values) and the world around us. Love that you are clear on what is important to you and your tenacity to stick to your own path.