“Today, of all days, we need to come together as a unified country, show compassion and understanding, and end the stigma over mental health.
There’s a difference between being generally worried about the unknown (usually caused by anxiety and catastrophic thinking) and a conspiracy theory. It’s okay if you felt really overwhelmed by the conflicting information and drastic change of events over the last 72 hours.
The nation is so divided — it’s sad. Families are being split over having different opinions. People are avoiding conversation because the topic is too sensitive.
At the end of the day, whether you think this is all being blown out of proportion and fear-stricken by the media or you believe this virus is slightly terrifying — the reality is today, WE as Americans have all experienced a ‘what the f*ck’ 72 hours. We did that together. We will continue to do this together. We will all face some kind of challenge over the next few weeks. Schools are shutting down, businesses are shutting down, most people will have their job affected in some form, those who are sick are forced to stay home in fear, medical personnel will be asked to put their career before their or their families health, spouses of first responders wait for the call of quarantine, children who rely on schools will suffer, our elderly in nursing homes are at risk, working parents will struggle with childcare, children are confused and worried by the fear this has caused in adults, a high school seniors last chance to play in the state basketball game is lost, those who have recently traveled are feared, events and benefits supporting good nonprofit organizations are being canceled, school and team fundraisers are being canceled.
Most families and companies are sitting down this evening trying to figure out the next plans to the challenges they will face. The thing is, we are all in this together. Some will stay positive and present and will focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. The rest will live in fear of the unknown and will experience catastrophic thinking. Everyone has the right to respond to the last 72 hours in their own way.
I have a right to be angry, confused, scared, hopeful. I’m so tired of people telling me how I should be reacting to the quickly evolving situation. Everyone has a right to process this in their own way. We need to start showing compassion for each other. You may not agree with how someone else is handling the current events, but we all have a right to process these events in our own way.
My job is affected in multiple ways, I am worried for the unknown, I’m worried for my husband who is a paramedic, I’m worried for my friends who are doctors, nurses, first responders — anyone in the medical field. I pray that this passes quickly and you are not overworked. I’m worried about my clients in Louisiana, especially those in NOLA as numbers continue to rise. Many clients I see as my friends and I know some who have more severe underlying conditions. I know the teams I work with are being largely affected and some will experience personal connections to the virus. I’m worried for myself, who has underlying health conditions. I’m worried for my brothers who all live out of state. I’m worried for my grandparents. I’m worried for my parents.
The truth is, the last 24 hours have been a total sh*t show, and it’s all really weird to process. It’s time to come together. Be compassionate.
I know things will be back to normal eventually. But the reality is, right now, what we are experiencing is not normal. If we want to get back to normal sooner than later, we need to work together and support each other. Stop thinking about how this is affecting you personally and realize that others may struggle during this time.
SHARE if you need childcare, if you need temporary workers to keep your small business thriving, if you need a temporary job, if you need to talk to someone, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you’re sick and need help getting something from the store, if you need toilet paper, or milk — anything. The rest of us need to step up, offer whatever services we can and show the world there is still good and this too shall pass.
Right now, at this moment, this sh*t is happening. We all need to do our part. Set aside different opinions, anger, and animosity. It’s time to come together as a community, as a city, a state, region, country, and stand together in unity. The next few weeks will be challenging, but how we all react will determine if we are strengthened or defeated. It’s time to do the right thing.
We are all in this together.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by April Alexander. Submit your story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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