Times of social distancing, illness and economic loss
Which of the 5 stages of grief have you gone through with this pandemic?
"The five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling."
I think I am stuck at anger right now, wavering between depression and more and more, acceptance. This is the New Normal, I'm afraid. We get used to incredible restrictions on our freedom of movement until we have the police state that POTUS would like, so he can be a dictator like the men he admires.
I grieve the (temporary?) loss of my former freedom. Being able to go anywhere whenever I wanted (although being a woman, I am more likely to be victimized by men)! Hugging people I barely knew! Indulging in being the "groupie" that I am, always seeking groups (to a certain extent, until I get antsy in crowds).
Being newly retired, I have few ties that have to be cut. That can work for me but work against me in these days of social distancing, illness and fear. I was trying to take it easy for a while and not commit to any volunteer work until after my BT, Big Trip. So now I don't volunteer nor can I travel. I was going to work for the Census but the timing was bad for my trip and now that's been shut down for a couple of weeks, like everything else. I have filled out forms to volunteer for the Seattle Symphony and for a dog rescue organization, Dog Gone. When will the Symphony be open again?
So what! Join the club, you might say. People from my old library system are told to work virtually from home. So they have big adjustments but for now are getting paid, at least. But I don't have a financial worry so I am very lucky right now.
Last week I watched the docuseries "Pandemic" on Hulu and it was interesting. Scary, yes. It clearly was saying, "Not IF but WHEN"! It covered scientists trying to prepare for a pandemic like this as well as the flu vaccines not available on the border to refugees. It covered the anti-vaccine people in Northern California which is a serious situation, completely unnecessary: children dying of measles when there is an easy solution! It covered a doctor in India trying to keep his patients from dying of the flu. I was trying to bone up on the subject and alternated with something more entertaining. Like many people, I am trying to escape from the reality of a pandemic.
Seeking FLOW, I need to do comics again, or anything to take my mind off this current crisis. Call me! Let's connect! We need each other; that's the bottom line.
I think I am stuck at anger right now, wavering between depression and more and more, acceptance. This is the New Normal, I'm afraid. We get used to incredible restrictions on our freedom of movement until we have the police state that POTUS would like, so he can be a dictator like the men he admires.
I grieve the (temporary?) loss of my former freedom. Being able to go anywhere whenever I wanted (although being a woman, I am more likely to be victimized by men)! Hugging people I barely knew! Indulging in being the "groupie" that I am, always seeking groups (to a certain extent, until I get antsy in crowds).
Being newly retired, I have few ties that have to be cut. That can work for me but work against me in these days of social distancing, illness and fear. I was trying to take it easy for a while and not commit to any volunteer work until after my BT, Big Trip. So now I don't volunteer nor can I travel. I was going to work for the Census but the timing was bad for my trip and now that's been shut down for a couple of weeks, like everything else. I have filled out forms to volunteer for the Seattle Symphony and for a dog rescue organization, Dog Gone. When will the Symphony be open again?
So what! Join the club, you might say. People from my old library system are told to work virtually from home. So they have big adjustments but for now are getting paid, at least. But I don't have a financial worry so I am very lucky right now.
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| No hoarding masks, boys! 1918 Flu Epidemic |
Last week I watched the docuseries "Pandemic" on Hulu and it was interesting. Scary, yes. It clearly was saying, "Not IF but WHEN"! It covered scientists trying to prepare for a pandemic like this as well as the flu vaccines not available on the border to refugees. It covered the anti-vaccine people in Northern California which is a serious situation, completely unnecessary: children dying of measles when there is an easy solution! It covered a doctor in India trying to keep his patients from dying of the flu. I was trying to bone up on the subject and alternated with something more entertaining. Like many people, I am trying to escape from the reality of a pandemic.
Seeking FLOW, I need to do comics again, or anything to take my mind off this current crisis. Call me! Let's connect! We need each other; that's the bottom line.
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