Don’t Panic

As I write this article, the state of this nation is not so great. There is a sense of fear in the air that you can actually feel if you slow down enough. This fear ,which we have all experienced as of late, is an interesting thing. Because, of course, there is so much to fear. What if we get sick? Even worse, what about our kids or our parents? What if I lose my job or my income? These are legitimate questions that cannot be easily brushed off or ignored.
At times of crisis, I find it very helpful to delve into history. Not so much to see how hard life was. Rather, knowing history in depth allows us to peer into the minds of people going through fear, trauma, crisis. And when we actually see our ancestors’ state of mind, we realize that it was not much different than ours. They were scared, anxious, and overwhelmed.
We can look back on historical events such as the Spanish Flu of 1918. This pandemic killed more US. citizens that World War I and II combined. Additionally, transmission, sanitation, and virology were not understood by the general public, leading to vast levels of disinformation.
Despite these facts, people understood something then. They understood that uncertainty was a certainty. Life was tenuous. The average life expectancy was considerably lower. Many people did not name their children until they were at least 2 years old, because infant mortality rates were so high.
We live in a different time. We have made so many medical and technological advances. We convince ourselves that if we eat well, and workout alot, we will be safe. These things can help. But complete protection is an illusion.
Often, when I worked with cancer patients, they would speak about how they felt different. They felt that they had one foot in this world and one foot in the next.
Now, we have a taste of how they feel. This pandemic is affecting every soul in this country, in one way or another. It points to our fragility and our vulnerability.
But wait. We have been running on empty for so many years. Anxious about our kids, our jobs, our marriages. We have been craving more sleep, more time to practice calm, organize our lives, and really see our family and friends. Is this frightening time a perfect opportunity to do just that?
The answer is a resounding yes. Because this world event has caused us to stop and consider. What do we value? What do we hold dear? Who do we miss and love?
So much of late has been how much we achieve, make, contribute. What do we own, look like, and who do we know?
This is the universe pressing pause for us. With every day that we cannot live normally, it is teaching us gratitude. With every day that we cannot see our friends or coworkers, it is reminding us of the privilege of living a full life. It is reminding us to see that while evil exists in this world, good does too. There are good people doing incredible things for us right now.
I have hope for us. I have hope for the wonderful people in this world. Bad things have always happened. Uncertainty is a part of life.But the best and the brightest are working so hard to make this right. I believe in them. And so should you.