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What are YOU learning from this lockdown pandemic?
Every day can feel upside down during the COVID-19 pandemic. You may have lost your income. You may feel very lonely. You may have a house full of kids or trying to home school AND work. The only thing that you can control is your attitude!
The word DEATH appears both in print and in news casts every minute of every day. What do you believe? Who do you believe? What are the facts vs. the opinions? One thing is for sure - you have a lot more alone time - or stay at home time - then you have had in a very long time.
Seven and a half years ago I was told that I had a very aggressive cancer that would require immediate treatment if I wanted to live. It didn't take long to realize that I was willing to fight as hard as possible to live - to continue the great life I knew. But during the treatments - both chemo and radiation - I felt very much like I do now during the stay-at-home order. When I was sick, the only person I really wanted to see or be with was my husband who made the best nurse ever! Truthfully I didn't go anywhere besides to the hospital for treatments or emergencies. But I didn't want to be anywhere but home. And I had a lot of time to think - to really assess who I am and how I was using my life.
Today we are all in this together! It isn't me fighting the cancer - it is all of us in a world we never have experienced, never expected, and feel totally out of control about. There is solace in that fact. This time I don't want to stay home. I don't want to hide from my friends. But I also want all of us to live long and prosper (thanks Leonard Nimoy).
We are all connected. Do you feel that more than ever now? We need one another. Sure we have to stay six feet away as we try to get in some serious walking or biking - but a heartfelt wave (no I can't see your smile with our masks on) is wonderful! It is a way to acknowledge that we are all together. Be kind to your fellow human! We are all experiencing the pandemic in our own way. Some of us laugh it off; some of us hide; some of us are very productive; and some of us feel we are doing nothing with our days.
We are all in the same storm. The boats each of us are on are very different - some comfortable cruisers and others with one oar or leaks. But we all have the same goal - to weather the storm.
For the next few blogs I will ask you some questions for the purpose of self analysis. I hope that they help. And I hope that you realize that the them of this website - none of us know when we will die - is being shoved in our face every minute. Death is a part of life. Everyone will die. That is just a fact of life.
Live each day like it is your last. Do things that you are happy about. Be proud of who you are. The purpose of life is life with a purpose. Try saying that mantra when you can't fall asleep or when you feel paralyzed by events around you.
You are all dealing with a different situation. We can't get in one another's shoes. But we can admit that death is a part of life. Prepare for it by telling people what you want to have happen when you can't speak for yourself. Write things down that need to be written like a will or appointing someone to speak for you (advance directive).
Awareness of your own mortality will allow you to put the fear and planning behind you - and concentrate on living!
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We have countless jokes online and in person about nonstop phone calls at all hours begging you to extend your car warranty - even when you don't own a car! But we don't talk about death. AND we all have death in common!
Upon death, even if your legal paperwork is completed will there be problems? Tell others about your wishes. Make changes as often as you want but be sure your loved ones know. Problems arise when loved ones disagree. Money can do that to wills.
You don't have to discuss death daily. Yet you need to face that we all will die. Give yourself a rest sometimes but remember that each day is precious.