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DURING COVID
BY ANDREA DUPPER
I don’t watch certain genres of movies for a reason. I don’t think you can really classify them as a genre, but I try not to watch… movies like Contagion, The Day After Tomorrow, Geostorm, anything with a huge natural disaster component or humanity altering disease. I don’t watch these types of movies, because they give me anxiety. In my mind, these are all perfectly plausible happenings.
At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a flood of articles on the Internet about “using this time to better yourself.” Then later came the articles about “making sure you practice self-care.” Both topics were accurate. The problem with both, is telling anyone what or how they should be feeling. Each of us is going through a unique experience, but we’re all going through this “together”.
On March 18, 2020, we were hurled into one of these movies! For several weeks, I lived with bouts of fear, uncertainty, calm, resilience, strength, anxiety and depression. My emotions ran the gambit every day, all day. I did my best to keep my news consumption down to a minimum. I put people on snooze on Facebook and tried to limit any time on social media.
Here’s my advice, for what it’s worth… YOU DO YOU! If you need to take a mental day off work, because the world has become too dark for you to deal with. Do it! If you need to take a hike to the top of Red Rock, do it (make sure you know how to hike and pack correctly for the insane heat!) You need to snuggle up with your kids because you fear for what their future could look like, do it! This is all new for all of us. The only thing that is certain, like most of the time, is that each day, there is change.
Our worlds were quickly filled with hate, anger, uncertainty, death and destruction. Parents suddenly became teachers, living rooms became classrooms, Dining room tables doubled as office furniture during the day as offices closed and people started working from home. Zoom stock went through the roof, after their platform became safer!
And lastly, be kind to each other, be kind to yourself, your family, strangers, the grocery store workers, who have also been essential. Kindness is essential to your Health and it doesn’t cost you a thing!
