Staying strong through fear
Over the past weeks, our world changed.
Things are no longer without pause.
Plans are being cancelled making it difficult to know what to do.
We wait and wonder. Coronavirus is causing people to be secluded in their homes. People are watching games on tv with no fans in the stands. Borders are closing. Amidst the chaos, we strive for a normalcy we know won’t last. Each moment, we cannot help but wonder what will happen.
I contemplate not looking at the news, but at the same time realize I have a burden of responsibility to stay aware. There are people who depend on me, just as I depend on others. I live in an interdependent society, where we are created to need one another and to be in community. As a wife, mother, grandmother, business owner and friend, I have people who need me to stay grounded and not allow anxiety and fear to grip me. When fear consumes, I lose perspective.
There are a few things I’ve determined to do.
Stay aware of facts
There is a lot of very bad, biased and destructive information available. It’s important to follow accurate sources who do not strive to sensationalize and build fear. There are a lot of articles, videos, memes and communication on social media. Some of it is factual and some of it is sensational. Let’s be wise in what we consume.
Realize this will not be a constant state
When disasters and difficulties happen, the intensity of that state does not last forever. There have been many awful things that have transpired at global magnitude, and somehow, life went on. It obviously was different, and there was loss and pain through it, but the current state of crisis is one that we will look back on someday. Even if they are small, I choose to keep making plans. I know they may be cancelled, but there is both beauty and hope in moving onward.
Do my pART
There are things I can do to help. I can look after myself, wash my hands more, do my best to stay healthy and I can help those in my circle of influence and care. It’s important that I do not allow fear to consume me and drive me to a place of panic. As I stay calm amidst the uncertainty and stress of this all, I would hope that calm helps those around me. I cannot change the situation we, as a city, province and country find ourselves in, but I can work on how I manage through it.
Think about others
The temptation to hoard defies the very solution to this global problem. The elderly and vulnerable are in need of greater protection. Let’s be a community that unites and together overcomes. If someone is secluded and quarantined, we are a people that can leave food and supplies on a doorstep. We can be there for our friends and neighbours.
We can help alleviate fear in others by engaging in a measure of new normal. Let’s choose to embrace our modified lifestyle and make the most of it. Stories, laughter, and purpose go a long way in a time of crisis.
Trust in god
Throughout the past couple of days, I’ve had the song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands,” running through my head. It’s brought comfort as the news show maps with expanding red dots. I know that sometimes life is too brief and bad things happen to good people. Those are things we all don’t understand, but I know that there is a picture bigger than the one I see. I know that there is peace and strength in my spirit as I trust and know that God has this and this is a chapter in history. “Fear not, I am with you always”.
The morning news will not be comforting, and our fear is real. In the midst of it, I’m choosing to say no to being paralyzed by that fear. I do not want to allow today’s global crisis to keep me from living and being part of my community - even if it needs to become smaller for awhile.
I know I can make a difference - even if it is being a calm in this storm we find ourselves in. There is hope. Always.
Let’s get through this together.