Navigating Uncertainty: Insights for a Better Tomorrow

Christmas 2019. I was wandering through the historic streets of Jackson Square in New Orleans. Amidst the lively holiday atmosphere, I was drawn to St. Louis Cathedral, where a Bishop stood outside, joyfully shaking hands with the congregation. Eagerly, I joined the queue, hoping to receive his blessing. As it neared my turn, he looked at me warmly and said, “Merry Christmas.” An usher promptly gestured for me to move along. Little did I know that he just wished everyone a happy holiday.

Disappointed, I aimlessly wandered around the square filled with vendors—painters and street performers were everywhere. I noticed a lady shuffling her tarot cards, so I sat before her. Her name was Rose. She said, “Twenty dollars for a card reading and forty for a full reading.” I took 40 dollars from my wallet, and she read, “2020 is a year of many changes…” Indeed, it was.

I had not been sick for 20 years but arrived home on New Year’s Day with a terrible cold. [I know what you are thinking.] Well, being a vegetarian does not mean that I am immune to illnesses, especially when I have been eating unhealthy food for the past 10 days.

Throughout the trip, I ate only fried food: French fries, fried onions, and even a green tomato—it was fried, and I felt like a ball of lard. Greasy food causes phlegm, so my system was congested, and I coughed my lungs out for weeks. Even my acupuncturist boss felt sorry for me, saying, “I just want to needle you to stop that cough!” That was my January.

February came, and so did the Coronavirus. People say, “We should count our blessings often because you never know…” I did, and while counting my pennies, I was grateful to have worked six days a week from July to December last year. But by March, I was out of a job. What will happen in April, May, June, and the rest of the year? Who knows?

For now, I just live one day at a time. Eat well, exercise, breathe deeply, meditate, and make sure I have enough sleep. You never know; you might wake up one day and find the pandemic storm was only a dream. Everyone says we are in a time of uncertainty. Every day is unpredictable, like the weather: Some days are rainy, some are sunny. Right now, everywhere on Earth is in a storm, so to speak. We must live in the moment, dance in the rain, and ride the waves.