Letting the pandemic change us for the better

When I was 24 years old, I fell off a cliff and shattered my face. Surviving a life-threatening accident at a young age transformed me. Afterwards, I had no more illusions about my mortality or the sacredness of time. I discovered a new urgency to live well. My long-term goals came front and center.

From my accident I learned that the smallest choices made while in crisis significantly influence our futures — even more so than during the ordinary times of life. Each moment matters. The potential of time is magnified. How we handle tough times really does define us.

Now, our entire society is in crisis as we scramble to survive the coronavirus pandemic. None of us have clarity about when this will end. What we do during these days is crucial to our futures.

As I write this, I am…    [This is the beginning of an essay I recently published in The Chicago Sun Times. Continue reading here.]