337 Magazine Volume 6 Issue 2

Letter from the Editor

By Abby Meaux Conques

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the time of this publishing, the current situation of our community, as well as the world at large, is chaotic. You may not be able to see it within the walls of your home, or even in your neighborhood, but I know that a few miles up the road from where I live, there are medical professionals working at a Level II trauma center that are running critically low on ventilators and having to reuse protective masks that aren't supposed to be reused, while dealing with patients who may carry and be suffering from what is arguably the most contagious viral disease known to our generation. Much of the Acadiana area is strongly encouraged to work from home and shelter in place. I think it's safe to say that no editor wishes that information be outdated post-publishing, but if this issue is being read in the near future, and all of the mentionings of life as we know it fighting COVID-19 is over by then, I would be ECSTATIC.

Truth is, since this is a quarterly magazine, much of the work happens months in advance of the layout and design of the final product. That being said, many of the articles published in this issue stemmed from interviews completed weeks or a month ahead of the days that we are currently facing. A few weeks ago I was excitedly gathering information on spring activities and upcoming local artist workshops. Now, everything in the near future, at least through Easter (but I'm anticipating beyond) is collectively cancelled. Today, gone are the days of sitting at the table of your favorite restaurant and working out at your local gym. It's all very surreal, and went from 100mpg to zero extrememly fast, but that's our reality right now.

So as a magazine, how do we share our stories right now? For the articles which were written beforehand, they were carefully modified to include messages of hope that one day (soon) we can go back to simple everyday activites like working out in a gym which we feature...and we can go back to them with a new found appreciation. We tailored our wellness articles to have specific content in sharing tools to boost our immune systems and to mentally get through these tumultuous times. Let's be real...this is taking a mental toll on all of us...as humans, as children, and as parents.

On a personal and professional level, (and thankfully in conjunction with owner agreement) I believe that being authentic and real is paramount. Never before has it been so imperative to be true to your essence in the depths of your soul, and parts of articles refined in this issue reflect just that.

For some people, our current situation means they've never leaned into their faith so hard. For others, this situation brings them back to a faith lost. And yet others, it's a complete recalibration...a "back to zero." A start from the bottom up. A "let's get simple and look at what would devastate us if we lost it" mindset. What is important to you, really?

Are we devastated that our gyms are closed? Sad, yes...devastated? We'll live. But I implore you to think about irreplacable things... those people in your life that light you up and make your little world a more pleasant place. Currently we have to watch our every move to ensure that we don't jeopardize our own health, but also the health of the ones we love. Let's be honest...we will lose people we know. We may have already. If that's not a shake to the core for you, then I don't know what is. If the most important thing to you after we're on the other side of this is still your Porsche, then I don't think there's anything that could penetrate your heart's surface, nor change your worldy view.

There's so much we don't know right now... so much uncertainty. But there is one thing that I do know. I know that there are many humans out there, all over the world, who have been through some extremely tough times. I know that this has beefed up their shell of being able to handle curveballs proverbially thrown. I know that humans are resilient. I know that given the "orders" to slow down and shelter at home with the family unit have made families hug each other tighter, pay more attention to each other's needs, and really take an inventory of what ultimately matters to them.

I believe that once we're collectively on the other side of this, many things will be done differently in all facets of life, and old ways of doing things will be forced to be different, because we know they work. I think that we will see different ways of doing business and that people will realize the greater value of

supporting local businesses rather than harboring big brand loyalty. I think these will be the welcomed lessons silver lined in all this.

I believe that the sheer toughness of this situation will instill fortitude in those who face disappointment in these times. It may be an unimaginable life-altering disappointment like human loss, and not being able to have a proper funeral. It may be a loss of a long-time career, or not being able to walk on stage for graduation. We will be disappointed. The disappointment, and being able to sit with it and navigate through it, will ultimately give us all the precious gift of strength to handle the many tough situations that will undoubtedly occur in our lifetimes. It will move us away from the idea that we need to shield our children from feeling pain, and offer consolation prizes to make sure everything is even steven. And you know what...they will be better for it.

Disappointment will give us a place to pull from when it's necessary to be strong. As a (very) wise friend of mine told me recently, "These are big lessons in building resilience... and it will serve you for a lifetime. Surrender." When my thoughts begin to spiral, the word "surrender" has become my mantra.

So for right now, I am surrendering my fears and holding on to the hope that things do change in the future; that we find better ways to do things. May we choose gentler ways to treat each other, live our lives kinder, and know that each others' lives are so precious. May we focus on what really enriches us and aids us in being better humans on the back end of all this, and that ultimately, none of this disappointment was in vain.

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