The Tortoise and the Hare
Do you remember this story? The one about the overly confident hare and the slow but sure tortoise who take part in a race. The Hare, brimming with self-belief and confidence, sets out quickly in the race. Full of surety that he will win, he stops to have a sleep. Tortoise on the other hand, knowing his own abilities, takes it slow and steady, with a quiet belief that he will get there in the end. The Hare sleeps too long and the Tortoise ends up the winner – the morals of this story – that slow and steady wins the over-all race, that a measured belief in yourself will stand you in good stead and that success is taking each day, each moment as it comes.
As of midnight last night, we left our sixth and hopefully last lockdown. This has been something that we have all been hoping for – the chance to get back to a normal life and enjoy the basic freedoms we have had in the past. On the news this morning, there were people out at midnight, drinking in bars, getting their hair cut and generally celebrating the end of lockdown. Watching this it reminded me of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Like the Hare, some of us are rushing out to rejoin “normal life” and do all the things we have missed. For others, the slow and steady resumption of long-awaited for connections and entertainment is what suits.
Now, what is important to know is that whichever way we choose to “do” this exit from lockdown is ok. We don’t have to run out and book ourselves up because that is what others do. We don’t have to stay at home and take things slowly either. What we have to do is what suits us – what feels comfortable, what feels right. The choice is ours. Some of us will know that to engage and get back into the swing of things feeds our mental health and fills us up. For others, the thought of rejoining the world drains us and heightens our anxiety and discomfort. So, like the moral taught to us in the Tortoise and the Hare, take each day, each moment as it comes knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. Choose what feeds your soul and strengthens your mental health. Be kind to yourself – if the exit out of lockdown you choose is the right one for you, you will win the race.
