In the palm of my hand.

I met a man at my last job that asked me to close my eyes and open my hands. Hesitantly, I listened to his instructions before feeling a marble plop into my palm. “What is that?” He asked me. “Uh, a blue marble?” I answered.

“No, specifically what is that?” I looked closer, bringing it to the light, and realized “it’s a little globe!”

He responded, “It’s the whole world. And where is it right now?” “In the palm of my hand.”

“Exactly. Ask yourself every day what that means to you. You have the entire world in the palm of your hand- how are you going to make it a better place?” Then he waved goodbye and left our office, leaving the marble in my hand to think about for the rest of the day.

I keep the marble on the shelf near my bed. I look at it fairly frequently and think about what I can do to make the world a better place. It’s not that hard. I think that as long as you show kindness and love to everyone you meet then I think you are making the world a better place. The world was different when I was growing up. We interacted with everyone every day. Good morning to our neighbors, how are you’s to the employees at the local grocery store, and daily communications that I don’t see as often anymore.

As time passed- the world in the palm of our hand became our cell phones connecting us to everyone at a moments notice. But in-person interactions became less common and people became more isolated emotionally.

In this time of literal isolation - I’m noticing a lot more people making the world a better place. We all are doing our part in this. Whether that means staying inside to flatten the curve or applauding the essential employees in unison to let them know how grateful we are. It’s happening, the world is getting better. It’s healing.

While the coronavirus is terrifying and it’s very easy to get wrapped in worries and fears: refocus to the other side of what’s happening. We are reconnecting. We are finding gratitude in the ordinary. We are becoming more present in ourselves and we are showing love for each other more openly. The world is not ending. It’s just changing. I know this to be true because it is in the palm of my hand after all 😉🌎❤️