Isolation Unveils Karma — Learn From It

This is an exercise in truth for all of us.

This bout of forced isolation is a massive dose of instant Karma for all of us. For some, it will be a pleasant downtime. For others, being forced into close quarters with the consequences of their choices, not so much.

One thing is for sure. This is an exercise in truth for all of us. It is hard to deny what’s going with your life when confronted by it with no distraction.

For me, I’m doing okay. I held out for love, didn’t settle, and married someone suited for me. He is my soul mate, my teammate, and my partner. We’ve got game plans, and we’re keeping calm and carrying on.

Of course, we’re worried, but My husband is English, so being pragmatic in the face of adversity is second nature for him.

A couple of years ago, we bit the bullet and bought a hot tub. Even though we’re not rich, we decided we could handle the extra expense, and now we take our retirement in 1/2 hour stretches.

We knew we’d never have the luxurious retirement of the boomers, so we decided to start living now. Forced isolation has provided us with some extra time we’d normally be running around buying things to soak, talk, and daydream.

I’m not sorry about my domestic happiness. It didn’t come about from luck. It came about after years of therapy and hard work to overcome my childhood trauma and toxic family.

My happiness in this time of crisis is my Karma coming home to me.

We’ve stocked our daughter up with art supplies and made some plans to switch her bedroom with my office. It’s given her lots to do and something to look forward to. Being sequestered with her has been fine. I know she’d rather be with her friends, what 13-year-old wouldn’t, but she’s taking it like a champ, and she’s been lovely to have around. She made us a scavenger hunt yesterday. Today we’ll create one for her.

But she’s no accident either.

When she was born, I was so sick that I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle a second child. I knew that I could be a good parent to one but not two. I was older, and if I were going to get pregnant, it would have had to have been right away. I was anemic and had an undiagnosed heart condition after she was born, I was exhausted.

We talked about it and abandoned our assumption that we’d automatically have two children. It was the best decision we’ve ever made.

My husband didn’t pressure me into having two children just because we thought we would. We decided to be happy with what we had and not force ourselves to do something we might not be able to handle just because of an ideal.

We have enough space, money, and resources for our one child. I love having one, but I knew I’d need to handle that properly. An only child can be a nightmare if not socialized properly.

I made sure to socialize her when she was a toddler.

I had playdates with two friends and their combined four children three times a week. I gave these friends babysitting, and they loaned me their kids. I made sure she had lots of peers in this crucial time to fight with and learn that she is not special and everyone matters. The highest compliment I get is when teachers are surprised that she is an only child.

Was I a perfect parent? No. Is she perfect? No. But we’re happy and good to each other, and I’m satisfied with that.

Again, this Karma coming home to roost is no accident.

I’ve lived with intention, and my contentment during this shows me that my decisions have been right.

I have checked in on my parents, told them not to go out, and offered to do their shopping. That’s all I can do. We’re not close, but I still love them. I’ve offered to help, whether or not they take me up on it is their choice.

Having to separate from them was painful but necessary. I did it out of self-love and preservation rather than bitterness and anger. I needed to save myself.

When I was younger, I thought that if I tried hard, I could make them love me, but people can’t do what you want them to do. Sometimes you must choose yourself.

Most of us will survive and go on after this, but the fact that nothing is guaranteed right now should make us reflect upon our collective and individual reckonings that are happening all together, all at once.

Reflect on the life you’re living confined in your home. Whatever you’re experiencing and feeling right now, is your Karma.

Take this time to face the truth you’ve built, the choices you’ve made, and the life you’ve created. Commit to going from here on in with eyes open. Strip the denial from your life and find a way back to your truth. After this is over, things will go back to normal, but you will never be the same.

The truth liberates you and makes you happy; denial makes you miserable and enslaved to your lies. Try to use this time to find the lies in your life so you can get untethered from them and set yourself free.

Me, I’m doing the things I’ve always done, I’m an introvert and not very social, so this is no biggie for me. My favorite place to be is home with my little family, so life is going on much as it always does.

I’m not shopping as much, so I consider that a bonus. For now, I am still working, and so is my husband. I am thankful that we are still earning.

I’m not telling you I’m doing okay to make you feel bad if you’re not.

What you don’t know is that for most of my adult life, I walked a precarious tightrope above a gaping cavern of depression and alcoholism that threatened to swallow me whole.

Alcohol was my only safety net for years, my only comfort as I made my way through therapy.

I reached out for help, I found a therapist. I worked hard every day to find my truth and learn my lessons. Meticulously and painfully, I cut out everything toxic and replaced it. I faced my misery and got to the other side.

So no matter what your situation is, face it right now. See it as the opportunity that it is — the chance to see your life distilled down to its very essence. Whatever you are experiencing right now is the sum-total of every choice you’ve ever made. Make this time count. You will never get it back.

I hope that no matter what your truth is. Whether you’ve found it to be painful or reassuring that you can live through it, learn from it and be better for it.

Covid-19 has pulled back the veil on Karma in a way that the world has never experienced before. Don’t squander it. Take this time to see, to learn, and to reimagine a better future.

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