On Self-Isolating and the Current State of the World (March 2020)

personal essay

Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen and heard an array of attitudes and opinions on the current situation, ranging from utter denial to unnecessary panic. As I tend to do, I’ve been resting somewhere in the middle. To me, the middle ground almost always feels the safest and steadiest of places. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. We are in previously uncharted territory and yes, that can be scary and incredibly humbling. Still, in the midst of the chaos and panic that some see fit to create, I still believe the way that provides the most clarity is the middle of the road. 

All over the world, people (who are almost certainly afraid, but not panicking) are doing amazing things to help in whatever ways they are able. Some simply continue to go to work, doing the necessary jobs that provide the rest of us with food, water, shelter, clothing, medical care, safety. Some are spending countless hours researching ways to solve this global-scale problem. Some are just doing their best to maintain hope and positivity, not an easy feat by any means, and share that with others. It’s easy to feel helpless in times such as these. It’s easy to let the fear of the unknown overtake you.

Don’t let it.

It’s not, unfortunately, quite as simple as it sounds, but it doesn’t have to be that difficult, either. We have the power to choose how we react, how we move forward. The way of panic is a selfish one. It puts a barrier around the heart and mind; a fight-or-flight instinct that’s only concerned with “me first.” When we choose to push through the fear, we become more selfless. We become more who we’re all meant to be - kinder, more compassionate, and as concerned with the welfare of others as we are our own. When we choose hope, love, and gratitude, great things begin to happen. True change for the better was never brought about by fear. Fear holds us back, hope lifts us up. 

While there are many layers and complications that come along with the pandemic we’re facing, it isn’t fear and panic and the mass hoarding of non-perishables that will get us through it.  It is hope. It is each other. The more people I’ve met, the more I’ve learned about other cultures, religions, and belief systems, and the more I’ve been exposed to different ways of living, the more I’ve come to realize - 

There are no barriers to loving one another, getting along, and accomplishing great things - only the ones we create.

Take care of one another and be well, everyone.