Calm in a State of Chaos

Covid-19 is the talk of the town, city, state, country, world these days. 

It's a bit like watching a crash in slow-mo. Started in Wuhan, China and spread like lava across the globe. In this new decade I really didn't think that a pandemic could grip us as it has these last few weeks and months. Is this how generations ago our ancestors felt when plagues and diseases decimated their towns and villages? At least now we have TV, social media and major means of communication so information (not always accurate, but dissemination none-the-less) gets through to inhabitants. Back then it was probably by pigeon or raven or whatever they had back then.

Today essentially a good part of the world is staying home.  Schools, universities, gatherings, festivals, parades, tournaments, professional sports, voting (partly), shopping, toilet paper, businesses, restaurants, oh the list goes on and on is affected. 

Here's how I approach this, in my own head, not scientific AT ALL. My family is all home, safe and sound. My university student, high school student and long-distance commuting husband. All are home. The four of us haven't been under the same roof for this many consecutive days in months (if not longer). We are forced to slow down, take stock, sometimes fight, eat together (or not). We aren't being pulled in a thousand different directions, ships passing in the night (or day), with one or two word sentences. It's as if the world is taking a breather (no pun intended).

So is this good? Probably not the ideal way to take a breather, for sure. For all the families that have been negatively affected in many ways it is destructive, scary and unfathomable. For those that have lost loved ones, it's absolutely heartbreaking. Our lives are typically so programmed, controlled, planned and determined that it is unnerving to feel so vulnerable. 

Here's what I think could happen. And I'm talking about a possible positive aspect, knowing that there are many more negative aspects. I often argue with my kids that they are constantly needing to be entertained and it doesn't always allow the brain to be idle which can develop new ideas, new interests, hobbies, thoughts, dreams, goals. Of course these things can happen at any time, not just when you're cooped up in a house for 14 days. Not that they're unplugged now but there is more time to be, well, idle I guess.

Perhaps this is also a time to reevaluate the things we need in life or that need addressing by our governments and officials. Reestablishing our fundamentals and ways to ensure we deal with the 'holes' in the system. Take a breather to see if our constant need for the next thing is hindering our basic needs being taken care of rather than 'optimizing' for financial purposes. 

This is not a political message. Like I've said before, Bosisi is not political but it is a company that has a mission to help underserved women. Those people that fall through the cracks. That aren't 'optimized' or supported. It's in these times that we take stock and realize that we too are vulnerable to falling through the cracks and it feels different when it's us. 

It is important in this time of preventing worse outcomes that we should be good humans and do the right thing, even if it means benefiting the wider group so that we all can lift ourselves up.

In humble gratitude,

Deana