Virus

December 2020

I know everyone is probably tired of hearing about the virus as I am, but unfortunately it is still something we are dealing with. It is something that has affected us all, no matter who you are or where you live. A virus does not care if you think it is real or not. It does not care about politics or your views- everyone is at risk. When it comes to something that can spread so easily from person to person you must take it seriously. But instead I feel like many people think they know better than medical professionals so some people have not taken it as serious as they should. I have found myself really frustrated this year with many people thinking they know better when it comes to science or this virus. I know to some it might not seem like a big deal but the more we think it is not a big deal the more it will spread and continue to be an issue. 

When news about the virus first came out we didn't know much about it. And with science we learn more about it and in turn we find better ways to combat it. However there is only so much you can do when you leave it up to the public to take the necessary pre-cautions rather than making tough decisions for the common good. The beginning stages of containing the virus is very critical to stop it from spreading further, which I believe we failed at doing. Somehow the virus became politicized instead of being taken seriously and we continue to pay the price for it. I believe there is more than one person to blame- though some more than others. But I won't get political. At least not on this post. 😜

I think the threat of the virus has made a lot of people anxious. Unknowns about the future, especially with the threat of death, can prey on your anxiety. When anxiety is heightened it is easy to jump to conclusions about things and believe things that might not be true- like conspiracy theories or other forms of misinformation that gets easily spread on the internet. It seems like this year has been crazy with wild stories and it became harder to decipher fact from fiction. Eventually misinformation about the virus got out and spread like crazy, which did not help us at all in trying to contain it. If you do not have the correct information you might not be able to properly protect yourself and others. Myself and others felt challenged to combat this misinformation since the more it spread on social media the more lives were at risk, their loved ones included. It felt like an uphill battle that just left me frustrated that we were even having to debate these things. I think many of us need to stop and step outside of ourselves for a moment. Think things through realistically or from other perspectives. If it seems too good or outrageous to be true, it probably is. Though some things that have happened this year has really made me question if that is still a true statement 😆.

Sometimes personal sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. But unfortunately it seems like these days people care less and less about the 'greater good' and only about themselves. A simple thing like wearing a mask is too much of an inconvenience. Listen, I am tired of wearing masks. I hate it. It is hard to talk with them on (they either go in your mouth or move all around your face while you are talking) and don't get me started how it fogs up glasses.. But I push my personal feelings about it aside and do it anyway. For not only me and my family, but others. Sometimes I forget it and have to run back to the car to get it, so now I put one in my purse just in case. Just like I got used to wearing seatbelts, I got used to wearing masks. It is no different in my mind. 

I know it is easy to get caught up in your day to day life, especially while quarantining, but don't forget there are other people existing too. The number of people I have witnessed that seem to have forgotten that other people exists on the road is crazy. It seems like everyone is in such a hurry and is willing to do whatever it takes to get where they need to go, no matter who else they put in danger around them. I know I am not a perfect driver and can be very impatient- especially when I am in a hurry (don't even ask about my I'M LATE! mad drive in the mornings) but I try to be mindful of myself and others on the road. When I open my car door I always try to ensure it doesn't swing out and give the car next me to me a door ding, though others do not always do the same for me. 

Sometimes it seems like no one really cares until it personally affects them. 

As challenging as this virus has made things and as difficult as it has been, I feel like a lot of good has come out of it. I see mental health in general being mentioned more, on social media and even at my job. It seems to me that more mental health resources are being provided and more and more people are becoming aware of their own and others mental health. The quarantine left many people feeling isolated and to combat that we had to rely more on virtual communication, which has been more difficult for some who are not used to that form of communication. We had to get creative and adapt with all the changes. It is really fascinating to me to see how all the different businesses adapted to stay afloat. My husband's workplace CustomInk got creative and started selling facemasks made out of shirts that helped them stay afloat. 

Another good thing that resulted from the virus was that the earth had a break from humans for a time while under quarantine, which the wildlife really enjoyed.