The Freedom of This Disaster!
Like so many of you, I'm DONE WITH THIS VIRUS! I'm done with the quarantine and I'm done with the FEAR… tired of worrying about the economy and school and my kids falling behind and I wish we didn't have to wear masks going out to the store because they’re HOT and I wish we didn't have to stay 6 ft away from each other and I'm ready to see my friends and let my kids hang out with theirs, and I'm ready for MORE NORMALCY…I’M DONE, I’M DONE, I’M DONE!
I miss my FREEDOM! 😔
So I decided to go looking for some perspective from other natural disasters of the last decade. And I found it in the photos and videos of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011.
On a global scale, that disaster pales to what we are experiencing with this pandemic in deaths and economic toll, but on a personal level, I’m trying to compare what I’m feeling in my life right now to what the people in these Japanese villages must have experienced in the face of that 9.0 earthquake followed by a 130 ft. WALL OF WATER rushing towards their town at 500mph, leaving them only MINUTES to escape by running to higher ground or climbing to their roofs to hope and pray for the best. 🙏🙏
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=japanese+tsunami+video&docid=607992413442213155&mid=8BF718E6D5598872DD918BF718E6D5598872DD91&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
When I look at these images and videos, I feel GRATEFUL! Because even though this F&#%ING virus is actually a BIGGER beast with no exit date, I have the FREEDOM to help decide how bad it gets for ME, my family and my community!
It’s easier to turn my back on and ignore because I can’t see it coming and news we get seems filtered and twisted sometimes for political agendas or ratings, but the truth is we ARE in the midst of a global natural disaster! But one that is EMPOWERING ME more than any other natural disaster I can think of IF I decide NOT TO TURN MY BACK ON IT!
That just means I stay home a little more, wash my hands more frequently, avoid touching my face, stay 6 ft. from people when I go out and wear a face mask in public places! And I've seen some pretty cute ones and kind of nice not to worry about your makeup when you go to the store. :)
And…I can STILL go outside and watch the birds and play with my kids! And I can hug my them and tell them I love them EVERY DAY! I can still go to the park and read a book under a tree and go for a walk in the neighborhood and get sunshine and fresh air! And now I can even go out to more stores, get my hair done if I feel comfortable 💇♀️and go to a restaurant if I follow the CDC guidelines for social distancing.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html
No…it’s not ideal and it SUCKS! Many, many people have suffered physically and financially, and we worry about the long-term mental and physical toll these measures will take on us and our children. They place an EXTRAORDINARY burden on our businesses and schools to accommodate hundreds of people in a building all day but they also provide us with MORE FREEDOM!
The FREEDOM to be INNOVATIVE and resourceful and design something BETTER than we had before! Because there was A LOT that wasn’t right for our children, families and communities in what we had BEFORE this pandemic.
Maybe we can find more efficient ways to do business and create a BETTER education system that will meet the social emotional needs of ALL of our children and educators and prepare more THINKERS in this world who can predict and even PREVENT disasters like a global pandemic! 🌎
Most importantly, this disaster is giving us the FREEDOM to use this time of social distancing and easing back out into the world to take PAUSE and reflect on our former state of “busyness” and reevaluate WHAT is REALLY IMPORTANT in our lives. Something that 9.0 earthquake and 130 ft WALL OF WATER moving at 500mph didn’t give those Japanese villagers.
Like all of you, I am mentally and emotionally DONE with this virus! But I feel LUCKY!
I can’t escape this wave of Covid-19 that will be with us likely through at lest the next year but I also don’t HAVE to escape it to stay healthy and safe and keep my family healthy and safe! I just have to do the RIGHT thing by following CDC social distancing guidelines, wear a cute FACE MASK out in public, say a few more prayers and HANG ON for the ride! 🌊
This won’t last forever! I find a lot of FREEDOM in knowing that. But it’s all about perspective, right? 🤷♀️
