Let me begin by saying that in no way am I downplaying the situation we are dealing with. Many are sadly dying and although the media keeps adding that those that are passing already had underlying conditions it really should not matter. A death is a death. Whether 88 or 8 it is heartbreaking when anyone dies but people have been dying for years and it sucks that this country takes more notice when it happens on our land. Terrorist attacks and Viruses are a part of a regular day for many, many other countries. There are currently 219 virus species that are known to be able to infect humans. The first of these to be discovered was the yellow fever virus in 1901, and three to four new species are still being found every year.
In this country which is believed to be the greatest country on earth for many, our priorities are ourselves and if the government will be closing down Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Who will make us our Non-Fat Frappuccino With Extra Whipped Cream And Chocolate Sauce or can we survive without our Venti 1/2&1/2, 10 Pumps Vanilla, Extra Whip. This was an actual comment made at a supermarket earlier today. Mind you there is nothing wrong with wanting some of these things in our lives, in fact these are the things that sometimes help make life easier to deal with but are these the priorities in our lives! Lets go back to.... this is the greatest country on the planet! So I ask you, why? Why are we so amazing? Freedom? What does freedom mean to you? Great schools? Some of the best companies to work for? Some of the most beautiful national parks on earth? The ability to become anything you so wish? How about the ability to say whatsoever you wish about government. F U TRUMP! You are not my president! (What a great thing to say about any president) Spewing negative comments helps how? You don't fight fire with fire! So for now lets agree that this nation is amazing for many reasons.
Next question. What have we done with the freedoms this country have given us? Are we good to our fellow Americans? Families, Friends, Neighbors, Bosses, Landlords, Waitstaff, fellow shoppers at the supermarket? The next few lines may offend but I have never been one to hold back my thoughts as long as they are respectful. Many get angry when other countries say hateful things about the US of A but in their eyes we take freedom for granted. Of course not all Americans do this but seeing the few bad apples on television hoarding and fighting over TP does not reflect well with other countries. I feel that there is a misunderstanding here as to our freedom. Freedom is not granted it is earned. Our families came here to strive and sacrifice everything for a better life. You work hard for it, You take advantage of the school system to better yourself, Our homes and how we live are a reflection of how appreciative and grateful we are to live in this country.
Here is a thought: The day after 9-11 there was not a home without a flag on the porch. Trucks and cars even donned them from their windows for just enough time to move on to the next big thing. What happened to that national pride we all shared? Sometimes you must hit rock bottom to know what you have.
Now let me talk about the importance of taking care or ourselves not just physically or economically but emotionally and spiritually. We take care of ourselves so we can live longer healthier lives for ourselves and to be able to take care of our families and friends. By this point many have rolled your eyes at this. Is it impossible to love yourself a little more and want to take care of your physical body? Proof is in the number of Gym memberships at the beginning of the new year and right before those summer months. So the hunger (no pun intended) is out there but at some point we fall off track, way off track. I feel this is why every few years something historical making like this Virus happens. It is a tough pill to swallow but when tragedies like this happen it is a good time to circle your wagons and go inward, deep down inside. Instead of running to share in the misery, anxiety and fear going on this is when we should be drawing back, counting our blessings, bringing those we love in closer, and forgiving those that we have hurt and those that have hurt us. Clean the slate. Know that many will not survive this virus and one of those may be someone you know, care for deeply, or it may be you!
One thing you must realize is that you can only do so much, this does not mean to not be AWARE of what is going on. Notice I did not say worry. Worrying is suffering twice. You worry then you should ask yourself what can you do about it at this moment! Is there a mountain you can move? A fire you can put out? Probably not! So redirect that energy into what needs to be done to make it through the day and end the day safe and sound in bed for a good nights rest. Isn't that what we all long for...... PEACE? A peace we all create or can destroy with worry and stress. Stress! another true waste of time unless it is during a moment you can actually act on it and resolve what is stressing you. But stress is a killer! Think about it, Stress is an incredible tool when used correctly. We stress cause we want to pass that exam. We stress because we have to come up with the rent, we stress because we have to find money to fix our car and this is when our animal instincts of fight or flight kick in, an amazing super power God added to our psyche. This is when a possible problem may occur, The body senses stress and the brain sends a series of signals through the hypothalamus to the sympathetic nervous system, which in turns registers it as a warning to prepare for a flight or fight response. Which keeps us out of danger and out of trouble. Now if that stimulus does not go away, but instead continues to send stress signals to the brain, the body will continue to secrete adrenaline, epinephrine, and nor epinephrine into the system. For many of us this is very normal yet not healthy. My mother always said stress will kill you but as an ignorant teenager I would blow her off until now. She was smarter than I gave her credit for. LIFE HAPPENS and running from the problems that scare us, worry us, stress us seem like normal actions to take but the key to surviving the misery we create is knowing how and when to deal with it.
There are those that learn to "control" their emotions and ignore the stress or push it down inside which is not the answer either. By doing this it can create tremendous wear and tear on the body. Again fight or flight happens and we can react or do nothing about it for a length of time but this may cause the body to become ill and it may begin to shut down . The digestion, reproduction, growth, inhibition in the immune and inflammatory systems and even tissue repair will slow down. What is the result of us not dealing with our problems head on and also not knowing when you cant at this time. Among the leading stress-related diseases are heart conditions, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, diabetes, osteoporosis, and failure of the reproductive organs.
The reason I stress (another pun not intended) on this so much is because we all have a super power many of us do not draw on and it is our emotional resilience. Such an incredible force to simply know our bodies well enough and know when it is time to fight, flight or sit and recharge. Knowing these whens can help us even during a time like this with the ever growing flu and unnecessary added on fear, stress and worry by the media. It is happening, it may infect us, but until it has what will you do about it to prepare. If you know a threat is coming do you sit and weaken your body by worrying about it or do you prepare for war? Many that will be reading this I do not know and I can guarantee that you have it in you to do something about it but surrender, should not be an option. Begin by filling your body with self love, with knowledge of what is actually going on, then create a game plan. Hoarding supplies will not help you if you are dead. Go deep inside (I recommend meditation) find out who you are, what your limitations are, and how hard are you willing to fight. You have control of your mind, live a positive life, share what you have with others, do not spend your day filled with anger, rage, envy or jealousy! Begin by filling your heart and soul with love! This is how you will begin to build your immune system and generate positive energy and this energy will keep you healthy, happy and strong for years to come.
I wish you all serenity, good health, and inner peace! Take this time and embrace this pause.
Namaste' & Blessed Be