Hello Monday. More states issuing stay at home orders. In Kentucky, all non-essential businesses must close by 8:00 PM tonight. My feelings are all over the place, a mixture of helpless, panicking, feeling hopeful, worrying about friends and family, being calmed by our governor, grateful for good friends we can connect with via video chat, angry with people who don’t seem to take this seriously and who don’t seem to care about anyone but themselves. Intellectually I know there is an end to the tunnel, but my heart can’t quite grasp that.
What helps me now is turning to the calming practices I know, deep breathing, meditation, talking to my loved ones, looking for the good and for the people helping other people. I come back again and again to other periods in history with pandemics and to all of those there was an after, life went on.
Today, I encourage you not to tamp down any feelings. Feel them all. Whatever you are feeling is ok. Know what’s going on, but limit your exposure to news so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Reach out to friends and neighbors and share you love (from a safe physical distance). Know there are others who can stand in the gap for you, just as you can stand in the gap for them. We will get through this together. Be kind, be gentle.
louisetallen 