“Again” giggles my two-year-old as I nuzzle my chin under his and kiss his neck. “Again, dada, again!” He coos, smiles and wiggles. Again, we wake each morning to a pandemic like none of us have seen in our lifetime. Again, we leave home (or continually stay at home) to do our jobs, very differently. Again, we wonder if or when we will get a job. Again, we hear about social distancing, to mask or not to mask. Again, we think about school for our kids. To E-learn or not to E-learn. Again. Again. Again. The definition of this adverb is another time, once more. Note the simplicity. No emotive declaration. So simple. Another time, once more.
As we wake up each morning, this is our calling. To approach our new found world, again and again. Not unlike the movie, GroundHog Day, it can seem like each day is the same. Yet, they are so different. New information about Covid-19, schools, jobs, everything! For whom do we do this thing called again? Ourselves, our kids, our families, our community. Is it hard? Of course. Has anything ever worth doing been easy? Of course not. What stops us from embracing ‘again’? The resistance.
In The War of Art, Stephen Pressfield identifies this ‘resistance’ as “an internal, insidious, negative force in side all of us.” Think the snooze button. Again, and again. Our amygdala or lizard brain drives this behavior. This primitive voice perpetuates in all of us. If we pause to consider how much of a role this may play in our day-to-day, it might be shocking. At least, for me. I wonder if it is that way for you, too? Can we beat this resistance? What do we do?
We turn pro in the game of life. We show up no matter what. We make the professional decision that we are going to finish this race, together, and stronger.
I once asked my daughter, “Why are you so happy?” She said, decisively, “because I am.” She just decided to be happy another time, once more. This is all of our missions, our goals, our lives. We must pledge to work hard, work together and fight this resistance. Some days we win, some days we lose. But we will be patient and accept no excuses.
The last 6 months feels like 10 years. Our business is still standing and we have added fresh smiling faces. We have been diligent to make things better, for everyone. We have never worked so hard to help serve you, our loyal patients and without you, we would not be here. We are not perfect, but every decision we make is done to follow our vision of better skin for a better life®. And we will continue to do so, each day. Again and again.
Sincerely,
Brian Matthys, DO
This was beautifully said! Thank you for this post. It’s a call to continue to charge forward… to not give up. It’s a call to hope. I needed this today. You have refreshed me!
Thanks for reading!