So Much To Worry About

We are ALL being forced to live through perhaps one of the most extraordinary times in our collective generations history.  It will certainly be long remembered and remarked upon.  We can not see clearly where all of this disruption will leave our country and the world, much less our families and our selves.

It is crucial that we learn to manage the anxiety.  I had to recently make a point to my own husband that his anxiety was not healthy for me.  That if I had a heart attack I could end up in the place where I really don’t want to be at this time (though truth be told, I never want to end up there for that reason).

It is a moral and social responsibility incumbent upon each of us to do our best to minimize our own role in and help to curtail the spread of this contagion.  We are all having to make adjustments and modifications to the way we would prefer to be living.  We are having to give up those things we like to do best in favor of not doing much of anything that we can’t do in our very own homes.

This can be a challenge for anyone with children in their home.  It is best to be truthful in an age appropriate manner.  I heard a young child at the grocery store yesterday ask their mother, “why can’t I touch things ?”  It is definitely a teaching moment and where day care is necessary for those who must continue to work – good hygiene and distancing can even be taught to young children.

So, I want to say to you today – It’s OK to be worried. It’s normal and it isn’t an overreaction. If that is how you feel, it’s your feelings. Feelings can’t be wrong.

It has helped in our family to have a plan.  I am the most likely to become infected because I am the supply officer for my family.  We are fortunate that we have always lived this way (though there are a few more inconveniences and necessary actions that weren’t necessary before).  We have a home-based business and our children have always been educated at home.  We have less to adapt to and we also live in sparsely populated rural wilderness.  Not always an advantage but at the moment, one we are grateful for.