Good morning, Wednesday. Here we are again.
So the other day, I wrote about a post-Corona world that might include some glitz and glamour, but today I wanted to focus on something I see now, which is what I'll call life, unscripted.
There is no such thing as perfection in a quarantined world. I can light my favorite candles and burn my palo santo and work out till my hamstrings scream for mercy, but nah. Not perfect. There are carbs. And there is absolutely not a stitch of makeup. There are showers but at odd hours. And there there is the "Tiger King," which somehow horrifies and comforts all at once for its utter insanity (at least I don't have a mullet- yet).
Yesterday I was streaming a favorite workout, Pure Barre, who is doing live streams for its members with all of our fav teachers. Last night a teacher I had not taken a class with taught from her living room, and it was a scream. Her cuckoo cat kept coming in and knocking stuff over, and the teacher was wearing a lo-fi outfit and was making fun of her own anxiety. At the same time, she improvised the lack of a barre (de riguer in our studio classes) with a wall lean and a broken chair from her mother, the hoarder. I absolutely adored the hot messiness of it all. I'm very much an aesthete and order muppet, but I am also someone that loves a bit of sloppy chaos. That's what life is, and that's where we're at right now. Have you noticed that anything that feels too perfect or staged just feels all kins of wrong right now? I have. By being exposed to this virus, we've also exposed our vulnerabilities and our divine disarray.
A very close friend of mine was worried that her kids are going to fail their classes because this online curriculum stuff is out of control. I think most parents right now are acknowledging that they may not be cut out for staying at home all day with their children, let alone homeschooling them (I've never felt happier to be a non-breeder, no smug intended). For a society obsessed with perfection (or at least the Instagramification of it), this is a time of reset. Of taking a break. Of acknowledging the beautiful mess in this thing called life. In all of my video calls (in which I refuse to participate because I am notoriously camera-shy Corona or no Corona, honey), people are sort of letting it all go. Two weeks ago? A bit of concealer and a cute top. Now? A scrunchie and a big sweatshirt from college and a bit of wine bloat. Enjoy it, friends. I know there is very little joy in our lives right now, but letting it all go is a good thing. Hearing babies crying during conference calls or pets barking- it's strangely comforting to me. Because it shows that life is going on.
And acknowledging that life is not perfect. That we are imperfect. That the struggle is indeed real, and it's powerful. I hate to admit that I've often said I dislike the expression "I'm doing my best" because, to me, it implied somehow that you weren't. I succumbed to the type A freakfest of everything MUST. BE. PERFECT. But right now? We are all genuinely doing our best- to make sense of lives that make zero sense, and to muddle through the day and the endless bad news and the occasional feeling of hope. Maybe even in the near future, doing our best will be a-ok. And enough. More than enough and then some.
I love seeing all of the content showing people intimately and hallelujah- real. We very much needed to get real. That's my take.
Watching the Cuomo brothers rib each other on national TV. All of that kooky dancing happening. People acknowledging their fears of everything from failure to dying from this plague. It's ok. Let it out. LET IT OUT. That imperfect thing I mentioned? Notice how the word starts with IM. Acknowledging you're not perfect acknowledges your humanity. And mortality. And beautiful, authentic self.
There is beauty and learning in everything, even in times of great fear and peril and no professional hair services. We will get through this. We may put on a bra again when we venture out of our hovels, but maybe, just maybe we'll continue to keep it real. Ain't nobody got time for perfection right now. And perhaps, just maybe, we're reassessing the very idea of what "perfect" means. Also- another moment to revel in- sacrificing all of our lives, livelihoods, etc. to not only protect ourselves but complete strangers from getting it. Unreal. Have you ever witnessed a more altruistic time for those who are taking heed? Alas, I have not. And with the new death toll projection, we really, really need to work together to kick some Corona ass. With the volatility and unpredictability of life right now, it's hard to feel in control. But in this thing called unscripted life, we gotta give ourselves, our co-workers, our kids, our families a hall pass. PS, this post is not meant to minimize the very real struggle of many who are sick, mourning loved ones, or wondering how to keep the lights on. If you need me, I am here.
Cause that's what's up this let's get real kind of Wednesday in beautiful, kooky Brooklyn. Yours, in taking it easy- on yourself, on others, on the current state of things. XO