For many people, 2020 and 2021 have included some challenging times. Our family is no exception. COVID first hit in March of 2020 and our office was told to close by the government for 2 ½ months. There was a silver lining in this, I actually really enjoyed the time off. In 32 years of practice, I have never had an extended vacation like that! When we returned to work in June, I revamped the hours to include 3 long days, giving patients options for early morning appointments, lunch time appointments and evening appointments. The schedule has seemed to work well for our practice members and for myself as well. I used to work 6 days a week, and now I work 3 long days and Saturday mornings. There are some downsides. The days I work are tiring, 12 hours long. Seeing one patient at a time, there was no need to have Jane in the office, so I now work alone. I have developed routines for cleaning (and there is a lot of that), filing, and other aspects of work life.
Jane’s Dad passed away last summer, and because of COVID restrictions we were not able to organize a memorial at that time. It was postponed. Last fall Jane brought up the idea of spending the whole summer on Hornby Island, at her Dad’s cabin. She has always wanted to do that. We had never considered it before, but with so much becoming virtual due to COVID, it seemed like a possibility. This past year we have been meeting with our church group, connecting with friends, celebrating birthdays and much more online. We have become proficient in Zoom, Facetime, Youtube, and much more. (I so regret not investing in Zoom in 2019!!!)
So we started to make a plan. There would be a lot to coordinate and organize, but the more we thought about it, the more excited I became. It was something to look forward to.
When the second wave hit and the COVID numbers went up again, provincial borders started shutting down. The ferries we would need to take to get to the Island operated for essential travel only. Jane started to get cold feet that we wouldn’t be able to do this trip. She brought her concern to me and I told her we could not give up this dream. I realized that having this trip to look forward to was getting me through the challenging parts of my days and weeks. We continued to plan, and we are happy to announce that the borders are back open and the trip is on! I’m sorry, I know it isn’t convenient for our patients, but Dr. Fitzpatrick is an excellent Network practitioner who will take care of you in my absence, and I will return rejuvenated and ready to serve you in September.
So why am I telling you this in an article on wellness? I think the ability to look forward to something is helpful for our mental and emotional wellbeing. It makes us creative and brings joy. “Well, that’s all very well for you”, you say, “you’re going on a nice long trip!” I know, but there were 32 years where there was no long trip. I still had things to look forward to. Last summer there was no travelling at all, so I looked forward to a day at the beach or watching a netflix movie together with my wife and daughters, who were living in Montreal and Kingston. It’s amazing how technology can bring us together if we let it. We have to find things that are possible for us in the near future, plan for them and look forward to them.
Think about how you felt as a child, excited for an upcoming trip or birthday surprise
A word of caution: there can be a dark side to anticipation. As I researched this topic, I found two interesting and conflicting quotes.
“The way to maximize the present is to anticipate the future”. – unknown
And , “Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today.”
Lucius Seneca (Roman Philosopher 4BC – 65 AD)
We can get so caught up in looking forward to an event that we neglect to enjoy the time leading up to that event. There is a delicate balance of looking forward to the future while living consciously in the present. There is a spectrum of being so focused on the future that we ignore the present, and being so focused in the present that we ignore the future. We need to strive to find the right balance.
So this summer, I hope you are able to make some plans and enjoy the anticipation of those plans. Whether they are a trip across the country or a picnic in the park down the street, I hope you can enjoy the planning and logistics, the days leading up to it, and the event itself! Take pictures! We will be sharing photos of our cross country travel on our Facebook page, Shaughnessy Wellness. Feel free to “like” Shaughnessy Wellness” and follow us on our journey.