“Happiness is available. Please help yourself.” (Thich Nhat Hanh) This was a quote I heard during an online meditation retreat with Insight Meditation Center. The year 2020 came with a dose of surprises and abundant opportunities to practice this.
My first shock came in a form of an unexpected gift from the universe: a horse. An actual, living horse. Never mind that I live in the city of Chicago. My partner and I marveled at a 1,700-pound Percheron Clysdesdale as he arrived at KTT Performance Horses in Peoton, Illinois on Valentine’s day.
March 1st brought my next big surprise: I got kicked by our giant horse. I learned an important lesson, not to reach out to a horse when he is jumpy. Luckily, I blocked most of it and ended with just a fractured arm. I was grateful that my arm sacrificed itself for the sake of the rest of the body. Thank goodness it’s egoless! I also realized there was no need for emotional suffering. I did not have to be miserable just because I got kicked by a horse.
Then came the coronavirus, which turned the world upside down, suspended mobility and forced isolations. It seemed the whole world was having a unified experience of major alterations to daily routines. In my neighborhood in southwest Chicago, this was followed by looting and shootings in the summer. I was grateful to already have a remote work setup and a garden at home.
This turbulent year also brought out countless acts of generosity and created space for new opportunities. I am particularly excited about the new online market for spiritual courses. Retreats by famed teachers are all of a sudden accessible, and Insight Meditation Society is my new favorite. I believe there is no better time than now to look deeply within at our roles and purposes and make radical changes in life. The world is changing, so why not experiment?
As I welcome 2021, I sense there are many more big surprises on the horizon. Regardless of what the year brings, I know there is inner joy which is always available. In sanskrit, this is called Santosha, which can be interpreted as being happy with what you have and where you are. Because profound happiness is only found within and does not depend on external circumstances.
I wish everyone a very happy, healthy year of growth and transformation!
