What Has Rona Done For You Lately?

I have struggled to write anything during this time honestly.  All over social media you see, “This is the best time to start your business.  If you have a special skill this is the best time to make money off of it.  Creatives, this is our time to shine.”  In all of these statements, I had a hard time finding where I fit.  My type of business would need more time put in than some months off due to quarantine.  I haven’t developed any special skills that I can teach people and make money from.  And I definitely don’t consider myself a “creative” which is another topic for another day.  So where do I fit in the midst of this mass hysteria?  How do I make my mark, leave my imprint on the world during this global pandemic that is supposedly bringing unity to us? And I came to the conclusion that I can use my words.  Words heal.  They possess a power that can stay with us from the time we are born until the day we die.  Words can transform.  The wrong words from the right person can make you question your very existence. And the RIGHT words from the right person will have you feeling invincible, like you can conquer the world.

I’m only a week in a half into the quarantine (I was being naughty and still driving into work) and I’ve had time to think, like everyone else in America.  Coming from a Christian point of view, panic never set in for me and I couldn’t understand why the rest of the world was seemingly going crazy.  I was, and still am, holding on to hope.  I was holding onto the fact that my church did a 21 day fast this past January which prepares us for what’s to come during the remainder of the year.  I was holding on to the fact that I’ve read Psalm 91 and that God has given me peace knowing that my family and I are protected.  I never looked at it from the view of someone who doesn’t have hope, or whose faith is not as strong.  I wasn’t able to comprehend what others were feeling.  I consider myself to be pretty empathetic, not to be confused with being an empath (still have to do some research on what that really means) and it was beyond me.  Then I realized I was looking at the situation from a place of privilege in a way. I work with health insurance so my job is seen as essential. Being effected by unemployment was not on my mind. Unfortunately 3.3 million Americans have had to file for it since March 21. I personally know one person who has been effected with losing a job. I don’t have to worry about food because I’m able to buy what I need. How I’m going to pay my bills was not on my mind. Being in the house with someone who is abusive was not on my mind. My circumstance is different from those who have to deal with this reality. People are scared and rightly so. Besides the threat of unemployment and those other issues I just mentioned, the amount of news/media people consume aide in the fear. The fact that we have little to no guidance or assurance from the man currently occupying The White House doesn’t help either. This current generation hasn’t seen an outbreak like this in quite some time.  We have the world at our fingertips, options on top of options and now that all of those things are postponed for an uncertain amount of time, we live fearful. We live fearful because we’ve never been faced with anything to this degree since many of us have been alive and it can be very frightening. We live fearful because being Americans, we felt like we were invincible. Rona showed us a thing or a few thousand. She came in like a wrecking ball and has not stopped the wreckage. But I digress.

Besides my job situation, one thing that has helped keep me at peace is knowing that my life isn’t consumed with news of what was going on.  Don’t get me wrong, you do need to be informed but there also has to be a balance especially during times like these where fear can easily be ignited  because of what we’re taking in. And especially for those who deal with mental health issues, taking in too much can push you over the edge. As I’ve been seeing and reading on other blogs and social media, social distancing is important.  I’m one of those who didn’t have a hard time with this because I’m a homebody. I mean why not?  Everything I need is in my home and there are no outsiders here lol.  But because of the severity of this virus, social distancing is one of the most important things that we can do because it helps to contain the virus and slows down the rate at which it can be spread.  And social distancing is not just being physically distant from people. Maybe you need to take a social media break and spend time in real every day life. I know that we get restless being told we have to stay inside, but there’s always good in uncomfortable situations.

Going back to the beginning of this post, we live in a world that likes to push the BIG things and HUGE accomplishments. Never really taking the time to appreciate the “small” steps or what some might perceive as being insignificant. Everything is a matter of perspective.  So I want to say we can make this time about self-discovery.  We can make this time about self reflection. We can make this about clearing out all the junk in our lives, physically and mentally. This is the best time to clean out that closet you’ve been saying you’re going to touch for three months now.  This is the best time to dance for no reason.  This is the best time to sing at the top of your lungs.  This is the best time to discover who you are.  Journal, write, take more selfies or just random pictures with your phone, vacuum your carpet (that’s for me).  All random, I know, but this is kind of a random moment we’re living right? Sometimes it’s just about enjoying and being right where you are. Life is fragile and fleeting, so while you have the time when we’re all in captivity (LOL) don’t take this time for granted. Try to find the positives in every day.  I know it’s easier said than done, but you have to start somewhere. Don’t let procrastination keep you stagnant. You hear that Eshia?! By all means, if you have an idea, execute it. If you like to write music or have always wanted to, explore it. If you want to walk around your house with a face full of makeup and a sequin gown, DO THAT! Or if you want to take days to catch up on sleep, hey do that too. The life party is still going on, even in quarantine season. We might be a little late, but at least we’re making the decision to get up, get ready and go RIGHT?! We’re working on being on time for the next gathering though.

And a big thank you to all of those who are on the front line of this virus.  To the healthcare workers, grocery/retail workers, Sanitation workers, those who work in food service.  All that you are doing will not be overlooked.  You are literally sacrificing your own health for the rest of us and we don’t take that for granted.