It's 2021 And I'm Sick and Tired Of Being Sick And Tired | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
News

It's 2021 And I'm Sick and Tired Of Being Sick And Tired

"I believe that the only way to heal from the true trauma of this last year and a half is to look down the barrel of the gun and see what got us to this point. We must consistently face the music in order to be better than we were yesterday."

225
It's 2021 And I'm Sick and Tired Of Being Sick And Tired

I guess you could call this complaining. I'm sure it's easy to see the title of this article and go, "Ugh, haven't we heard enough negativity?" Yes, we absolutely have. But I believe that the only way to heal from the true trauma of this last year and a half (COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, violence, prejudice, political greed, etc.) is to look down the barrel of the gun and see what got us to this point. We must consistently face the music in order to be better than we were yesterday. This is just my perspective. This is just my opinion. I can't speak for everyone, but I can do my best to speak to everyone experiencing March 2021. (And I've been holding these words in since about March of LAST year, so bear with me.)

I am just so tired.

I'm tired of being sick.

I'm sick of being tired.

I'm done with burying my family members and loved ones. I'm sick of watching the death toll on ticker tape like we're checking the damn stock market. I'm tired of being in quarantine after quarantine and having little to no social catharsis for being inside my own head all the time. I'm tired of being unable to do the things I rely heavily on for general sanity like performing and hugging. I'm done with receiving illnesses and diagnoses like Christmas presents because my immune system can't keep up with all the physical and emotional "ick".

I'm sick of being worried if my boyfriend will come home today because his skin is dark and many people in my state are conditioned to look at him as less-than. It makes me sick hearing about my friends from my days living overseas living through inhumane, senseless tragedy in their home countries. It makes me physically sick hearing stories nearly every day of people I know personally being harassed, abused, neglected, and assaulted based on a single, unchangeable part of their being, and sometimes, JUST their appearance.

I'm tired of hearing that "God wants to heal my depression!" (no he doesn't, I've had it since I was 12) and that "my increase in nightmares is just the Devil trying to get in there!" (no it's not, dreams are the brain's way of processing information given throughout the day and the info to ALL our brains has been increasingly scary over the last year.) I'm sick of churchgoers manipulating such precious Scripture to justify their own prejudices and bigotry to the point of being complicit in violence. If that's "just how you were raised" or it's "just your heritage" or "just your conviction", I'm sorry to tell you but your raising, heritage and convictions are all crappy. There's a big reason why retail and service industry workers everywhere HATE Sundays.

I'm done with having to wonder who to trust. Who will be really be there for me when things are leveled to ground zero for me? Who will support me through differences and even conflict? If I keep losing as many friends as I've lost this year, I won't have a need for the Contacts app. Finally speaking your honest truth will often land you in hot water with people you thought were steadfast.

So, I guess the first step I should take is asking myself, "Well, what am I gonna do about it?"

I can wish all day long that I was superhero mediator of the world and could overstep all our problems in a single bound. (That's such a silly wish for yourself, truth be told. Don't wish it. That kind of pressure would suck.) But as much as I want to be the cure-all, I am flawed, futile, and highly unqualified. So, I will choose to live my life in a way that levels the playing field. I will exist in such a fashion that I can both educate and be educated by folks of all creeds and colors. I will honor my God in the best way I know how. I will honor myself in taking care of my body and mind, even when it doesn't come naturally as an athlete to do so. I will honor my loved ones by telling their stories and keep their memory close. I will honor those I see suffering by listening to them and asking what I can do to help.

I won't be perfect at any of these first steps. This pledge to stop passively being sick and tired will have to come with practice and knowledge gained over time. But I can promise to put my best foot forward and keep extending compassionate love in the many, beautiful ways one can do so. I'm aware of how hippy-dippy this sounds. But I don't think some free-thinking sentiment is really going to hurt our current situation.

If you're as fed up as me, please join me in this resolve.

Let's turn sick and tired into...well...less sick and less tired. I'll take that any day.

From Your Site Articles
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl
Pexels

In case you're unaware, "resting bitch face" is the term used to describe when a person's natural, expressionless face makes it look like they are mad at the world. Whether they are walking down the street or simply spacing out thinking about what to eat for dinner, it's very easy for others to assume that this person is either upset or mad at them. Because of this, those of us with Resting Bitch Face (RBF), and especially us women, have all experienced many of the same situations and conversations, including:

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

The Stages Of A Crush As Told By The Cast of "Bob's Burgers"

We all go through certain stages when we have a crush, Tina just explains it better.

938
my heart just pooped its pants
Google

We've all had a crush before. Whether it leads to something or nothing, the process has all been the same. The awkward feelings, the stalking, and the stress of trying to keep this huge secret. The feeling of becoming a total spazz is something that cannot be avoided, and the most spazzy family that can relate to this feeling is the Belcher's.

Keep Reading...Show less
you didnt come this far to only come this far lighted text
Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash

At the tender age of 18, we are bestowed with the title of “adult.” For 17 years, we live under the rules and guidelines of our parents, school, and government, and to stray from any of those rules or guidelines marks us as a rebel. At 18, though, we must choose which college we want to go to or what career we want. We are allowed and encouraged to vote. We can buy lottery tickets and cigarettes. We can drop out of school, leave our household, and do other "adult" things. At 18, we start down a path of thinking for ourselves, when for the entirety of our lives other institutions have been mandated to think and do for us.

Keep Reading...Show less
university
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Creating your schedule for the upcoming semester can be an exciting process. You have the control to decide if you want to have class two-days a week or five-days a week. You get to check things off of your requirement checklist. It's an opportunity for a fresh start with new classes (which you tell yourself you'll never skip.) This process, which always starts out so optimistic, can get frustrating really quickly. Here are 25 thoughts you have when registering for classes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

10 Thoughts Of A 5th Year Senior

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

1863
college shirt
pointsincase.com

"College will be the best four years of your life" is a phrase that we have all heard growing up. College is painted as a magical place to us while we are in high school. A place you go to learn, meet your best friends and probably have the time of your life while all of this is going down. Four whirlwind years, where everything that you've known changes and you start to learn what it means to live on your own, have a job, etc. But what about those of us who don't do this all in four years? Major changes, hard courses, switching schools, career paths changing, these are just a handful of factors that could extend your four years to five, six or seven. There is nothing wrong with taking extra time to graduate, but returning as a fifth-year is a little different. Most of your best friends have most likely graduated and moved and while you may be one of the oldest undergraduates on campus, you might feel as awkward as a freshmen. A world that became home and comfortable to you is still there but it's slightly different than you've known it to be and you have to find a groove to fall into. These are thoughts you'll have as you look ahead to returning to your college campus, with a victory lap planned.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments