My husband is a firefighter, my sister and a couple of friends are med techs at local hospitals, some of my friends are nurses and doctors, first responders…they, like many of our loved ones are on the front lines and working among the chaos that this virus has created.
So, when you start stressing about your new remote access computer system freezing up, remember that your life is not so bad. Remember, we still live in a very privileged society. Don’t get me wrong, this crisis is very real in so many ways. It is real for those of us that are sitting on our couches… it is real for those of us who get a fever or a little cough… it is real for those of us that get very sick…it is real for the men and women on the front lines. It is real for those of us that are having to work and now teach our children. This virus is causing death. It is causing fear. It is causing a shortage of medical supplies. It is causing loss of wages. It is causing so many things…
The social distancing order is causing social isolation. Social isolation often causes self doubt and heightens depression. We need to lean on one another. Pick up the phone – do a video chat. Drive by a friend’s house and honk. Send the grandparents a video of the kids playing.
There is enough panic in this world… we do not need to dwell on the negative. Don’t post it. Also, don’t be jealous about someones post on FB. Some of us post the happy times to help us get through the stressful times. We all need some hope.
We go about looking for hope in many different places. I personally just need to remember to look UP more often! I need to look up…on the morning that my husband goes on shift for 24 hours. I need to look up when I haven’t heard from a dear friend in a while. I need to look up when my children lose their patience with one another. I need to look up when a I miss my family. I need to look up when my female dogs start acting like female dogs. I need to look up when a real estate deal wants to try to fall apart. I need to look up with the birds sing. I need to look up when I hear my children’s laughter. I need to look up when my dog herds one of the baby chicks back into its pen rather than decides to have it for a snack. I need to look up when a friend rides her bike to my house to sit at a distance on the lawn to share a drink and adult conversation. I need to look up. We all need to look up. And, when we cannot look up, He will meet us where we are!
Beyond the Elm 
Leave a comment