COVID: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow
It’s no secret that the COVID pandemic is a scourge to the whole universe. Many citizens of the world have died. We who have survived are working to make some sense of the whole world being turned upside down.
We survivors are blessed to know that we are alive. We are now dealing with our stressors, such as fears, angers, our own trauma, perhaps even the brush with death, etc. We know that ‘when things get tough, the tough get going. We know that people are brave! Yet we may not realize so far how the COVID has impacted us at deeper levels. What to do? How do we put humpty, dumpty, back together again? We can take a look inside to the Zen Master within and find our survivor skills? Skills that will support us in our daily life, so that we can begin to thrive once again.
It might be helpful to talk to someone: a friend, a confidant, a spouse, etc. and share one’s thoughts and feelings about our experiences in the past 18 months. What are our expectations for the future? These days may challenge us not to get back to normal. But to make some changes that can help us become more healthy and look to take care of our many parts, such as the physical, mental, emotional, interpersonal relationships, and changes we want to make. We make be thinking about what gives us purpose and meaning. We may be going a lot more deeply into the Zen Master within to appreciate ourselves more, as well as our neighbor. We have so much creativity within to explore. We can become more courageous and creative as James Joyce has written:
“Welcome O Life, I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.”