Ode to turbulence
By: Fatima Dahab
I recently came across the wonderful essay by Emily Perl Kingsley “Welcome to Holland” and with it, reminded me of what this year has taught a lot of us. I am not sure we are in Holland right now, or Italy for that matter, but instead we are somewhere out of this known universe. I use this essay in therapy often, to remind my clients that the unexpected destinations of our journey can be just as wonderful as what we originally and meticulously planned. The old saying “life is what happens when we are busy making plans” often plays out in our lives. If we are too busy, we might miss it. In these times, with so much going on around us, its so easy to miss.
So now, this is our turbulent journey, we are completely caught off guard by the monotony of COVID, the dangers of stepping outside our home, the loss and grief of our loved ones, the uncertainty of “the full mental health impact of COVID” in this generation and so much more. It is overwhelming and scary, just like turbulence. So much like turbulence, we must acknowledge it and accept it. It does not take away the fear that it brings but accept it we must!
How you ask? How do we become accepting of turbulence?? That awful feeling that the world is ending, and you cannot see past the next second of your life? Well, I say, how can we not?? Hold on to your chair, take a look around you, and remember “it’s just turbulence”. Turbulence is “normal”, expected even in all our journeys, regardless of where we are going. So why do we hate it so much? I say, bring it on! I know you, been there a million times! In the famous words of Author Glennon Doyle “we can do hard things”, even withstand the turbulence. Maybe we do not land in Holland, but we land in Japan just in time to see the cherry blossoms, or we land somewhere completely foreign and unknown. This is where we are. We do not speak the language, we do not understand the culture, and most importantly it’s not home!
I am not sure of the destination yet, but I do know that wherever we land, it will be worth exploring. Because with all the negativity and pain in the world, there is also immense beauty, love, resilience and courage. I think that is worth some turbulence, right?