Lessons Of A Quarantine
(You’ll note that I am avoiding the specific words because it has been overkill. I’ll reserve the use for another post…maybe)
Well, it has been a year, and we are only in the first quarter y’all! What in the world is happening?!?
Well, we know…kinda. It is definitely an impactful, life-changing time. There are so many emotions to feel. Some may be anxious, frustrated, scared, feeling helpless, overwhelmed, concerned about the future, challenged, grateful, inspired to help others, and even some folks may feel the same as they always have. Whatever the feeling is, I encourage you to acknowledge it, sit with it, without letting it consume you but in an effort to better understand and process through (aka heal).
In this newsletter, I’d like to focus on the lessons of quarantine and some lessons I’ve learned in this short time of massive change. This entry is not specific to examples nor will I get into facts and stats about the virus, but I do want to prompt you into thinking, reflecting, and acknowledging the lessons and opportunities that have presented themselves. While I’m not always thrilled with what our government suggests, I do know that the spread of infection can happen quickly and increases with experiences of exposure. And in some regards, a ‘Stay at home act’ or quarantine, now encouraged by some government officials and counties, decreases the risk of exposure. The basics: the more one is exposed, the greater the risk of acquiring whatever they have been exposed to—this is lesson number one. You are what you surround yourself with. #boom
Lesson two: people will find a way! I’m partial to nurses and healthcare providers because…well, you know—it’s all in the name (Certified Nurse Midwife). But so many humans recently have impressed me and gone beyond my expectations and, I think, that of the rest of the world. The resilience, the creativity, the critical thinking that I’ve seen in colleagues, healthcare professionals and staff, service workers, local and small business owners, and so many others have been amazing and speaks to the character and reserves of our world. In the midst of chaos and change, we defy the odds. We have been innovating since the start of humanity so no doubt it will continue. In what ways have you found yourself stretching and striving in this time of adjustment? Count your receipts—don’t forget how much you have done for yourself and for others. If you feel you are coming up shy, craft some plans that allow for you to get resourceful—even if that means adjusting your routine or cleaning out a closet. You may also want to consider waiting it out because surely in this time there will arise a need for your originality to shine. Remember—miracles and inspiration sometimes come from the soil that seems to have little to no potential for growth.
Now please do not take that last statement ‘to wait’ as passive or an excuse to be lazy. Herein lies lesson three: you don’t have to do everything right now. Quarantine does not mean we do ALL of the things at once. In some ways, it affords us the chance to plan and change but even more so it grants us the gift of rest. Let’s face it y’all—most of us do not live in a slow-paced, chill-vibed, less industrialized country (unless you do and if so, I’m coming to visit-ha!). The majority of us are moving with the hustle and bustle of everyday life and it comes and goes faster than we can blink. REAL TALK: we are walking around exhausted in one way, shape, or form. Well, in a strange turn of events, we get a bit of a break. And that break may actually seem like a drastic and impactful change, but there is this lingering prompt to ‘slow down’ and reassess our daily lives and routines. Maybe you’ll have a chance to nap. Maybe you’ll have a chance to really sit with yourself or a close loved one. Maybe you actually can cook at home as opposed to always eating on the go. It may not sound like rest, but there is a break from the overwhelming monotony of our day-to-day. My encouragement to you: TAKE IT AND RUN (or sit slowly on a nice cushy couch).
As you can see there is SO MUCH we can take away from this time. Far beyond the science and research, beyond access and treatment—therein lies truths that some of us have been searching for and others did not even know they needed. As I say and have heard for years- ‘take the meat and leave the bones. If these lessons don’t apply to you, someone else will find solace in them. Feel free to share. Feel free to practice accordingly. Feel free to take inventory and check your surroundings. Feel free to stay away from the very place you thought you would find healing (the hospital). Feel free to sit and rest as needed. Feel your freedom, even in an otherwise uncertain and quiet bonding time. Let the lessons come to you. I hope you continue to plant the seeds of love and care in the soil of humanity. (Cheesy, right…yea that’s me!)
