By: Kimberly Wolfson-Lisack
My father is good with words. He can be eloquent, and compelling, and he can be cynical and jarring, all in the same short conversation. He’s good with them, and he doesn’t mince them. Although his professional career was in the high profile world of New York City advertising, he was a philosophy major at his Ivy League alma mater against the backdrop of the turbulent 1960’s. He learned with, and from, some great minds. He is known for his wedding and bar mitzvah toasts, and has been published more than a few times in local newspapers. He told me something not too long ago and it stuck with me. He said, “Clichés are clichés for a reason, and the reason is because they are always true “. No cynicism there, just something to hold onto. Clichés are true.
How many clichés come to mind as we continue to live through the pandemic of COVID-19? I don’t have to list them, you know the ones I’m talking about, and you probably have some of your own. We hear variations of them in songs, sometimes we see them printed on bumper stickers or on Instagram and Tik Tok. Maybe they are phrases or mottos passed down from one family member to the next, meant to instill faith or strength during times of despair and doubt. I think it is fair to say that we need them right now. I know I’m looking for the “silver lining “, and I can’t be the only one ready to see the “rainbow after the storm”.
It seems impossible to be living through this devastating time and not be changed by it. We are all facing challenges and decisions that 6 months ago seemed inconceivable. For some folks this may be an opportunity to reflect on, and maybe even challenge personal perspectives, habits, and motivations. Yet for others, self-reflection is a luxury that the pandemic is not affording them. This article is not about “searching” for meaning, it is about finding it, and it may be hiding right in front of you.
Sure you can go down the existential rabbit hole searching for the deep universal meaning of the pandemic, or you can give yourself permission to recognize that nobody can tell you how to find the deeper meaning of living through trauma, only you can do that for yourself. And wherever you find it, and however you manifest it, is okay. For me, I find myself saying thank you with added gratitude. My local grocery store workers, pharmacists, essential workers, nurses, doctors, I am still moved to tears when I thank them for their bravery.
And yes, I will admit it, I have a very cheesy motto/cliché that is stuck in my head and giving me strength these days. It is short, and to the point. You have probably seen it printed on the cover of inspirational journals at the bookstore, or perhaps you have seen it on a faux weathered piece of wood in an Etsy shop. It’s a cliché for a reason, and it’s true for me now.
