Living with Uncertainty
I have been thinking about all of you and hope you are staying well. COVID-19 has been a unifying experience, as we are all experiencing limitations on our lives, no matter where we live.
My “social distancing” began March 14th, after I returned from visiting family in North Carolina. The airports were already “different,” as people created additional space between themselves and others… and some were already wearing masks back then. There was a hushed quality as people spoke to each other in murmurs, rather than the usual bantering one hears while traveling.
Speaking of “social distancing,” haven’t we all acquired a new vocabulary in a very short time? Was it only a month ago that I never used terms like
Corona virus
Pandemic
N95 masks
Ventilators
Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)
You can probably think of others…so much has changed in such a short time!
Do you find yourself worrying about loved ones and what the future holds? An article in the Harvard Business Review helped me. Scott Berinato is the author of an essay titled, “That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief.” He describes “anticipatory grief,” which is another term for worry. He recommends this,
“To calm yourself, you want to come into the present….You can name five things in the room. There’s a computer, a chair, a picture of the dog, an old rug, and a coffee mug. It’s that simple. Breathe. Realize that in the present moment nothing you’ve anticipated has happened.”
You can read the entire article by Googling Harvard Business Review and grief.
Of course, you know me, I try to find humor wherever I can. I love the pictures on Face Book of how we are going to look after we try to cut our own hair. Seriously! We could go months without being able to go to a salon.
I’m embarrassed to tell you I paid $24.00 for 100 acetaminophen tablets on Amazon, from one of their independent sellers. Talk about price gouging!
And now that I am getting my groceries delivered, I had to laugh at myself. I followed my daughter's instructions on how to unpack groceries:
Assumed the virus was on the outside packing
Removed items from the outside packing as much as possible, especially cardboard
Wiped cans down with rubbing alcohol solution
Washed fruits and vegetables
Discarded all the cardboard
Washed my hands
Disinfected the doorknob and cabinet knobs
Disinfected the sink
Laid down for a nap
How has your life changed since COVID-19 reared its head? I’d love to hear from you! And remember these words Lady Julian of Norwich heard from God, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
