35 Years Around the Sun — Kristina Thomas

I wanted my birthday to be a celebration around the sun, one, mo’, gain. But here we are in quarantine.

The month of April was depressing. Not sure if you knew, but we couldn’t go outside. Still can’t. The push back for going outside was devastating. I want to be outside with my hoodrat friends. But this just means, it’s time to be still. Reflect. Remember, my future is good.

The zoom calls this month helped me a lot to find myself again. I’m thankful for Bloom and Plume Cafe for hosting a Wellness group on Fridays to help us all remember - You Are Not Alone.

Then my “Explore Your Story,” a prompt writing workshop on Zoom by Saved By a Story creator, Kathleen. I think this group saved my life lol. It helped me write out what I’ve been holding inside in a no judgements zone. I hated it, but then I succumbed to being open. She even put a quote in our first email:

A quote from CS Lewis about living in the atomic age which feels relevant to living in the age of the corona virus:

“This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things — praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts — not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

If you haven’t already - take the time to get to know yourself. Find God. Find Yourself. Live. Breath. Meditate. Whatever. During this quarantine, remember who you are again - be still and remember you are a badass.