Lisa Ray Instagram – Repost from @chefsangkim using @RepostRegramApp – “Hey, how are you?” “Amazing! And you?” “Same. What’ve you been up to?” “Nothing. You?” “Same.” * * *
Today, the most overused and undervalued word is “essential”. By designating “Essential Goods and Services”, our government is, of course, referring to our most basic needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy: “Physiological” and “Safety”—health, food, shelter, property, employment etc. (Although I would have nominated “haircut” to be slotted somewhere between “Belonging” and “Self-Esteem”.) At the very least, fulfilling these needs will allow people to survive, and this is both important and necessary. Thereafter, the objective is to make people productive members of society again, because productivity is, in the West, the Holy Grail. * * *
We all have different definitions of productivity, both for home and at work. And we use different metrics to determine its relative success or failure. How much we achieved on any given project on any given day, week, month; whether we were falling behind or catching up or getting ahead. * * *
That’s all changed now. At least for me.
During this crisis, my mind keeps circling back to one question demanding an answer, and it is this: “Sang, what is essential?” And not: “Sang, how much have you accomplished?” It’s been about Being over Doing. About Subtraction, not Multiplication.
Back to the 1-2-3s: family, friendship, community, the environment, beauty, kindness. Meditating deeply about what needs to be eliminated so I can access what is truly essential—that is the most productive thing I know I can do today. Perhaps everyday. The rest is either not important or only moderately so and therefore might find its way back to me if it’s not lazy.
I think it was Socrates who said it and it’s worth repeating: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” He meant that by answering your friends’ “Hey, how are you?” with “Busy. And you?” is our most dangerous form of self-deception.
Takes our eyes off the real prize.
#quarantinelife #covid19 #essentials #subtractionism image: @blcksmth | Posted on 28/Apr/2020 05:42:10