Since the chaos of the Coronavirus has hit our nation, I’ve tried to balance pure terror with reasonable steps to stay healthy and still enjoy my life. This post is in no way diminishing the danger of the virus, especially for those who are physically vulnerable to the effects of the illness. Yet, if we don’t recognize a few blessings, we might make ourselves a bit crazy. So here are a few good side effects of a possible pandemic.
- We are washing our hands more. I hope we continue to do so. Good hygiene is on all of us and I’m kind of shocked when I learn that people don’t wash their hands after using the rest room or before handling food. People, come on now! Wash your hands and teach your kids to wash their hands. Use soap and water and wash well. That is all.
- We are shaking hands less. Shaking hands can be kind of yucky once you realize that others might not have washed their hands. (See above.) Bowing, elbow bumps, and even a solid “Namaste” would probably save a few lives every year. Prior to “shelter in place” I had set up a few “no handshaking zones” for my training rooms and I’ve really enjoyed other creative ways of greeting people.
- Everything is relative. I was talking to my husband about some choices one of our children was considering and my husband said, “Who cares about that when I’m worried they will get the Coronavirus.” Nothing like a terrifying pandemic to put problems in perspective.
- We almost seem to be uniting around this virus. Our world has been so divided over the past few years. Now it seems that many of us are putting our political views aside to responsibly share information and good wishes. Could it be that the threat of world wide flu symptoms could make us all a bit kinder?
- An awareness of and appreciation for our health. Often, when we are healthy, we take our good health for granted. The virus forced many of us to not only think about keeping ourselves healthy, but also those who are more vulnerable around us. We get one life and one body. We ought to treat it well.
As much as I’m hoping this virus wears itself out and quickly, I wanted to channel my fear into something a bit more positive. It’s the rare opportunity, hopefully, that we get to find the blessings in a world-wide health crisis. Interestingly enough, there was much to be grateful for.
Wash your hands!
Love,
Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC