Life has been happening for the entire world lately. The world is in the ugly days. The scary thing is it could early days of even uglier ones ahead. Even when we just can’t even _________.
Reactions to the current COVID-19 pandemic or crisis have varied. Some believe others are overrating and nasty alarmists. Others that were not taking it seriously enough.
I’d like to believe I’m somewhere in the middle. That my personal response so far is measured and rational. Perhaps even the right amount of appropriate. Then again, doesn’t everyone?
In some way we’re all going through this together. In other ways we all have varied experiences and realities, based on our contexts and personal dispositions.
And, for all of us, whatever we feel is real. If we all started there empathy would abound. The flip side is that we could all be in our “own feelings” and hurt each other.
Our egos and preferences can and should never find the spotlight. I’m talking about appearances. I mean, in real, deep, real ways. I mean where benevolent actions transcend even our strong feelings.
Sadly in the face of pandemics it’s not just emotional damage. It can spill into fights over toilet paper. It could mean people getting hurt, even lose their lives not because of the initial crisis.
Crisis compounds or dissipates based on how we respond to it. And this impacts not only us but also those around us.
When we “just can’t even…” the repercussions can be catastrophic for us and those around us. Let’s all just try to “just can’t even…” at different times so we can be there for each other.
Our sanity and the world depends on it.
If there’s anything that this COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us is that our seeming small actions have profound impact. On ourselves. Our neighbours. Our communities, countries and the world at large.
Selah.