We are together

When your world is feeling a off-kilter, focus on the little things you can do to make it right.  Be it brewing a cup of tea and inhaling the aroma, or curling up in your favourite chair with a good book.  Sometimes simply washing your face and screaming into the towel helps too.  Try to focus on the little things and savour the moment. 

It's not easy.  What makes all of this social distancing and quarantine difficult is perhaps the lack of physical human contact.  From early on most of us are conditioned to be comforted by the human touch - a pat on the shoulder, a great big hug.  And it sucks not to get that.  But human contact is so much more than physical touch.  It is shared experiences, mutual understanding, and frank communication.  It is crying and laughing together.  It is knowing we are seen, our realities validated and our lives witnessed. 

So, in these times of social distancing, make the effort to reach out.  Be it through e-mail, text, or phone.  Write letters, share stories, swap jokes.  Be goofy, be artistic.  The good news is there is no rubric, we are all figuring this out as we go along.

Faith, Hope, and Love in time of Corona

Follow the advice of scientists and researchers, not because you are afraid, but because you trust them. 

That's faith. 

Wash your hands, not simply to clean them, but to signify that you are ready to touch and feel again. 

That's hope. 

Stay at home, not because you were told to do so, but because you believe you and others deserve to live and see another day. 

That's love. 

Faith, hope, and love all right there in the simplest of acts.

We can do this

There is no sugar coating this, the trajectory of things don't look great. The threats are very real. It is ok to be scared, but don't let it take a life of its own and paralyze you in the form of panic. For there is still much we can do. 

I firmly believe humanity will rise to the occasion. There are signs of it everywhere already. It begins with the simple act of washing one's hands, staying at home, to donating supplies, offering to pick up groceries for those who can't venture out. It radiates in the form of musicians spreading joy through singing, and trainers leading exercise routines on balconies. 

And then there is human ingenuity at its best; those who convert distilleries to churn out hand sanitizers; those who are working steadfastly to find a cure; or creatively finding stop-gaps for shortages. 

We may want to look towards our leaders and elective officials for guidance. But the reality is we have the power all along as a community, and as individuals who actively engage in the society, to make the difference. All it takes is simple courage practiced again and again to fuel the indomitable spirit. 

Yes, the cost is great, there is no doubt about that, but what we will gain in the long run is perhaps the salvation of humanity. What we will perhaps see after all of this is the Renaissance of our times. I have absolute faith that when we confront our darkest hours together with acts of defiance great and small, we will rise again as a whole better for it. So howl back at the raging storm and say to it, "do your worst for here we will make our stand."

#LifeInTheTimeOfCorona
#WeAreAllInThisTogether