We’re living in such a bizarre, mad period of total uncertainty and insecurity. It feels really worrying that nobody can predict what will be, no scientists, doctors, statisticians or virologists. This feeling of unknown is petrifying as there’s nothing to grasp onto, for some sort of grounded reality check that things will be ok. Just feels so surreal.
I think I, like millions others, have been yo-yoing between utter calm and collected and panic and anxiety. Some moments I know things will be ok and we all just need to stick together metaphorically (quite the opposite literally), be kind and ride this crashing wave. All the ups and downs.
Then almost seconds later the tension engulfs me (and us all) and I start thinking this may be the end of the world, what if I don’t see my family in South Africa again, what if X or Y or Z – my mind races and spirals like a domino game crashing down. But then I remind myself this is normal. We’re living through a pandemic. A global one. Something which is shutting down the world. It’s not just a cough and a fever. It’s the rate and pace that this nano virus is growing and growing.
Anxiety in such uncertain times is so normal. I think. We have zero control over anything and that feeling of not being in the known even 0.1% is so petrifying. We all need to slow down our minds and stop jumping to unknown conclusions. We need to stop watching the news 24/7 and monitoring social media like hawks. This just compounds and fuels our anxiety and can make us into frustrated, unsure time bombs waiting to explode.
What will be will be. We all need to do our part. We need to be wise and adhere to what government is advising. We need to use common sense. But I understand how common sense can fly out the window at such unprecedented times. Panic and fear love to overwhelm. It’s like the negative inclination. Where we leave room for this force to come in, it will. We need to try full our minds with things which calm us: music, walks, speaking to friends (even on FaceTime), movies, painting…
Society and our communities have for sure expedited our feelings, both ways. This horrendous stockpiling episode is a sign that people aren’t coping and that everyone is out for themselves. I need I need I need. What if I don’t have X? How will I cope without Y? We need to mid shift to see how we can accommodate others around us. How can we be kind, respectful and accepting? If I have 12 bags of pasta and 400 loo rolls, how will my neighbour cope? Sharing is caring as I teach my toddler. We live in a wider community.
Nobody should judge or question the way others are feeling or acting. If your friend decides to keep their kids from school for their reasons, it’s not for us to comment. We don’t know what people are experiencing and how people are coping. We don’t know people’s personal lives and family histories. We don’t know whose suffering with disease and illnesses and who are immunocompromised or generally suffering emotionally with it all. Who are we to judge?
As things aren’t black and white, this may lead to uncertainty and a feeling of sacredness not knowing. If we knew were in this unwanted patch for 6 months and ABC will perspire, we’d be a lot more calm. It’s just the nature of things evolving and changing minute by minute which overwhelms. We need to come to grips with living day by day. We need to accept the grey and be fluid and adaptable. Trust me I know this ain’t easy. We are all struggling someway or another, despite majority of us keeping our guard up and wearing our brave masks.
Covid-19 you’re a crazy thing. You’re spreading like wildfire and destroying economies, lives and our wellbeing. But I do believe it’s here to teach us a lesson. That lesson I don’t quite understand. And wish I did. So do we all.
But it’s a time not to be greedy. A time to ask for help if we need. A time to examine ourselves and how we fit into a greater community. We can only see some of the jigsaw. Although we like to believe we know it all. Deep breaths and day by day, as they say!