While the pandemic forced the entire world to slow down, the panic is still palpable in the United States and the worries are justified. Unemployment continues to rise and small businesses are lacking resources. Children are no longer learning in a classroom environment. Hospitals struggle to provide adequate care. Farmers are throwing out their produce, despite food drives not having enough for those in need. The president has suggested injecting disinfectant. Protesters are demanding the United States to reopen. The pandemic in America is now a polarizing topic in politics. Social media and news stations provide 24/7 coverage, overfeeding the population with more news than some can handle.
It's safe to say the reality of America's situation feels like a movie with no ending. Our lives were altered and naturally as humans, we avoid sudden changes and decisions. We avoid messing up our routines. Now, we have been shoved into a different reality of staying home, practicing social distancing, and adjusting to our new circumstances. It is inevitable that the unexpected will happen, and it will happen often. There is still hope though. There is comfort in impermanence. Our life changes no matter how much we like it. We live in a constant state of impermanence. Hard times will always be persistent in being. Although life after the pandemic will never be the same, there is comfort in knowing this shall pass. Eventually, in good timing, we will find ourselves in a different reality again. The beauty of being human is adapting, becoming, and being. Our lives are bound to have stones thrown at it in between the good memories. In times like these, practicing gratitude and mindfulness will transcend us from the dark times into brighter light. While it is easy to consume negativity from social media, putting down our devices and taking a moment to be thankful for the little things will help alleviate anxiety. Self-care is creating boundaries with our intake of the news, it is making time to ask ourselves how we feel when we wake up in the morning and when we go to bed at night.
