Dear CCI Friends,
March 5 to 15 was to be downtime with my four adult kids, spouses and the youngest five grandchildren in Bend, Oregon. I flew from a near-empty SFO to Portland on a helicopter-type of small plane, then to Bend on a compact, two-engine plane … apparently due to few passengers.
Arriving in Bend at my youngest son’s home (two sets of twins, ages 8 and 3 years), I found him exhausted with the flu. The older twins brought it home from school, 3 year olds next, parents next… I was last to get a mild version. Meanwhile, the coronavirus was being followed on all the networks. Despite it all, visiting and cooking with my kids and grandkids was healing and wonderful.
As for COVID – 19, it’s tragic to learn about those fighting for life on respirators, health care workers exposed to the coronavirus everyday, and the loss of income for millions of young people and families struggling to survive even before this contagion interrupted our lives.
This totally unexpected modern-day “plague” seems to be waking up Americans in a way that nothing has in the past. Most Americans were born into a sense of invincibility, believing that the U.S. protects its own, yet this virus is bringing genuine fear to our lives. Insecure TV journalists talk about the ubiquitous, invisible enemy … this is new and alarming for us. It underlies a false sense of expected national security. Democrats and Republicans alike are frightened … with a financial recession (if not depression) just around the corner.
We are in no way prepared for our American “bubble to burst.” Yet likely it may.
What to do? The following is the best I can come up with and what I’ll be practicing.
Join me if the following makes sense to you …
Try to be patient with the overall challenging process ahead — we are all in this together.
Be patient with all persons within our personal paths.
Be kind to all.
Be introspective.
Be respectful.
Forego anger.
Forego resistance.
Practice compassion.
Feel gratitude for the small things in life.
Say thank you more often.
Care for our small planet that it may become healthy again.
Care for all human beings on our small globe, be they in China, Italy, Spain, Africa, Iran, the U.S., wherever …
Become a true caring world citizen at heart.
These simple attitudes have been recommended by many religions, philosophies and therapists. During times like these, such mental practices can be soul-changing, can lift us out of panic, fear and despair.
Coronavirus will die down.
Let us learn the lessons inherent in its arrival this year …
Otherwise we may get heavier lessons in the near future.
Let’s work together to bring a new sense of support for each other and our planet!
My warmest wishes as you work through this current situation.
Let us know if there’s anything we can do to assist you.
We at CCI are involved with lots of “giving”, supportive people throughout our country.
Some may be able to support you if needed. If so, contact us.
Sincerely,
Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives