I’m not a news hound. Since 9-11, I stopped watching the news on television or listening to it on the radio. For years I received only the Sunday paper, and I don’t even subscribe to that now. Yet since the coronavirus claimed global attention, I’ve taken to reading the New York Times app daily.
As the virus spreads, the death toll mounts, and new precautions are mandated daily, my well-being depends on my ability to see the good every day. With the right focus, it can be done. After all, I live in Santa Barbara in a nice home with my loving husband and adorable Yorkiepoo Coby. My family and friends are all still well and safeguarding themselves as recommended. We have plenty of food (and toilet paper) in the house and so far have managed to get whatever we need. While the national and global economies are uncertain, we can cover our expenses. In fact, they’re down, as we drive less, eat at home, and have only home-entertainment available.
Now there’s time to do the things we either put off or outright neglected: spring cleaning, purging, letter writing, calling friends and family (especially those living alone), reading, organizing, journaling, meditating, real cooking, and writing blog posts. As an extrovert, I miss events and socializing. Thankfully, we have video chatting, and I’ve created my own Zoom account for group conversations.
There’s good to be recognized outside my door, too. The most significant awareness for me is the confirmation of what spiritual teachers from every major tradition tell us: we are one. Look how quickly the virus spread around the globe. Borders are meaningless, as are race, gender, and age distinctions. The economic impact cuts across all industries, and the coronavirus has affected every employee in some way. I cannot sit here and watch what’s happening to someone on another continent without acknowledging how my life is changing. How ironic–as we all stay isolated in our homes we have perhaps never been more united as a planet, at least not in my lifetime. We truly are all in this together—and that’s a good thing.