There is light at the end of the tunnel

Wow, what a year it has been. Just into the first quarter and it looks like we have had events that could be from a combination of a few years. A lot has happened. We’ve had

• The tension between the US and Iran. Which resulted in a plane carry many Canadians and humans period being blown
• Australians still dealt with fires that lingered into the new year and are recovering from the aftermath
• The Coronavirus was picking up steam
• Kobe Bryant died.
• Philippines volcanic eruption
• All the other’s I missed

I’ll admit, typing the above was stressful. Big blows all over. Uppercuts straight to the chin from different opponents.

Presently, there’s one major opponent that’s staring us straight in the face - Coronavirus aka COVID-19. This crap has single-handedly broken down economies, the free flow of people through borders and worst of all human lives. In the last few weeks, I can’t count how many messages I’ve sent which included the phrases, “stay safe”, “uncertain times”, “unprecedented times”, uncharted waters”, or whatever their synonymous cousins are.

Lots of plans have been ruined. Many plans. Many have had to cancel important engagement which involved the congregation of people or travels. Imagine planning your wedding for over a year, the back and forth with wedding planners, all the vendors, the invitations, flights booked - you get the picture. Or you’ve been day-dreaming of your walk across the stage after many late nights over the years to earn that piece of paper. Then all of a sudden, all plans start to crumble right before your eyes.

Then there are jobs. Sigh. Regardless of which part of the divide you fall - employer or employee - you will have been affected by this. The unemployment rate has sky-rocketed. Mom and pop shops have had to close their doors and lay off workers. And even the bigger companies are barely keeping afloat. I’ve seen companies rescind offers for both full time and internship opportunities. Gutting! 😞 I know companies don’t make these decisions lightly but many folks have been let down. Many industries like aviation have been seriously hit and I think we’re yet to realize the full magnifications of the virus. I feel like a lot of companies are being sensitive to the climate and are trying to save face..for now. It’s sometimes interesting to watch how the effects of this are crippling companies and then you have others like grocery stores, Amazon, video conferencing, cleaning supplies etc have a surge in business in the same period.

Then there’s those infected by the virus itself who are clinging for their lives or unfortunately have succumbed to it. Leaving behind families and other loved ones. All the dreams, plans, tomorrow’s plans all never to see the light of day. I saw an image of a mass grave that was dug to bury unclaimed bodies in NYC. Heart-wrenching to say the least.

I empathize with you if you’ve had to face any of the above. Some governments have set up stimulus packages to help alleviate some of the financial woes people may be going through. This is great. But I feel like one overlooked area has been the mental health of people. The elderly can’t accept visitors anymore, people are stressed about finances, fighting over toilet paper, or are simply just lonely. I saw a post a few days ago that spoke to the effect of how some “non-essential” stores being closed or trips being cancelled could negatively impact people who relied on things like painting or gardening to help cope with difficult times and not fall victims to whatever their vices are. It spoke to me. We are fighting different battles and I think this is the time the human race needs to come together.

Please reach out for help if you need to. If you are not comfortable reaching for professional help, at the bare minimum talk to a friend preferably via video chat. If you have better coping mechanisms in these difficult times, I encourage you to check on your loved ones more often. Give them a (video) call do not text. We will get through this together.

Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we are on the floor right now but there is hope. We may seem to be down right now but we are not out. I always try and find the silver lining in everything. It may be hard, but I believe if you look hard, you will find it.

During this period, you may have some more time on your hands or may suddenly be busier juggling all the different hats. You know, juggling cook, teacher, partner, oh and full-time work. Either way in as much as your schedule may be out of wack, you may be saving time from your daily commute. Now is the time to do the things you’ve been putting off with your newly added time or flexible schedule.

• Catch up on some rest. Yes, you deserve it. Sleep in. For some, this may be the time to rest and reset. We may be tempted to work longer hours. I’m no WFH expert like others who claim to be but one strategy that has worked for me is to set tangible goals for each day and have timelines to guide me. Don’t beat yourself if you don’t stick to it. We may be tempted to have more screen time than usual as we are witnessing a lot of hidden talents being unearthed online, watching live DJ sets and new TiKTok dances every second. Just remember to have balance.
• Clean your house, tidy your room, spring clean. All of that.
• Spend some quality time with your family. You are now stuck (safe) in your home with your family. Make the best out of it. I laughed at this post where some spouses were surprised to see their partners in “work-mode”. But seriously, you can start with eating breakfast and/or lunch together. You know, the little things.
• Learn new skills. I placed this last not because it’s not important. But I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this as though it was a must and you must feel guilty if you are not seizing the opportunity. Do what you can.

I’ll be remised if I did not give a special shout out to all the front line workers who have woken up day in and day out and served us. Yes, I’m talking about the nurses, doctors, grocery store employees and all others who put their lives at risk so we can beat this thing. To say thank you, please follow all the guidelines that have been communicated over and over again. You know, staying home, practicing social distancing, washing hands, etc

Look, do you see it? Look closer… You still don’t? Well, it may be pretty faint now but that’s the light at the end of the tunnel. One step at a time, one day at a time. We will get there.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay hopeful.

Peace.