If We Were Talking About Corona, Here's What I'd Say

As I read people’s posts in my feeds from all different sides of this virus, I’m reminded of what my dad’s grandpa would tell him when he remarked about an issue “there’s more to the story, Tommy. There’s always more to the story.”

So, as I sit here months into lockdown, I’m wishing I could be sitting next to you on your front steps. And if I could, here’s what I would tell you with misty eyes.

To you who have lost your income

If you have lost your income, your job, or even your business because of this virus, I see you. If this means your utilities have been cut off or you can’t pay your mortgage or you don’t know where your next meal is coming from or how you are going to feed your kids, I see you. If I could, I would literally sit next to you right now and honestly say nothing. Because what is there to say except to be with you in what is likely one of the hardest periods of your life. And if I say anything at all, it would be to tell you to let it all out. The fear, the anxiety, the overwhelm, the grief, the panic, the anger, the feelings of inadequacy and failure. And then I would just sit with you because there is no quick fix.

To you who have lost loved ones

If you have loved ones fighting for their life because of this virus, or who have lost their battle to it, I see you. If I could, I would literally sit next to you and honestly say nothing. Because what is there to say except to be with you in what is likely one of the hardest periods of your life. Because you likely didn’t get to say “goodbye”. You didn’t get to be with them and if you did, you saw them suffer in ways no one should have to suffer. And if I say anything at all, it would be to tell you to let it all out. The grief, sadness, fear, anxiety, overwhelm, the anger, the feelings of inadequacy and failure. And then I would just sit with you because there is no quick fix.

To you on the front lines

If you are many of the brave people fighting daily to care for our loved ones who have been sickened by this virus, I see you. If I could, I would literally sit next to you and honestly say nothing. Because what is there to say except to be with you in what is likely one of the hardest periods of your life. When you signed up for this job never in a million years did you imagine there would be a pandemic that would sweep the globe and that you would be on the front lines of responding to it. And if I say anything at all, it would be to tell you to let it all out. The grief, sadness, fear, anxiety, overwhelm, the anger, the feelings of inadequacy and failure. And then I would just sit with you because there is no quick fix.

To you working from home

If you are many of the people working from home and trying to homeschool your kids at the same time or you live alone and are utterly isolated, I see you. If I could, I would literally sit next to you and honestly say nothing. Because what is there to say except to be with you in what is likely one of the most trying periods of your life. You didn’t sign up for this. And if I say anything at all, it would be to tell you to let it all out. The grief, sadness, fear, anxiety, overwhelm, the anger, the frustration. And then I would just sit with you because there is no quick fix.

To you who are hurting right now, I see you.

So Now What?

Here’s the reality: we are all grieving. We’re all sad, afraid, anxious, overwhelmed, angry, and feeling inadequate to make things better.

Why can’t things go back to how they were 5 months ago when Corona was just the name of a beer?!

What we all wish was simply an interruption to our daily lives is in reality also a disruption to life as we knew it.

And as we see things right now, there is no quick fix, for any of us. The economy is not going to come back over night. A cure is not going to be readily available over night.

And we need to grieve that. With every single change comes loss of what used to be, and with the loss, grief. And if we’re honest so much has changed in such a short period of time. And there is so much to grieve.

So, what can we do?

If you need to, take this weekend and grieve. Just let it all out. Give yourself the space to grieve because life as we knew it is not going to return. Because things are so hard right now. Because we didn’t sign up for this.

And then come Monday morning, find out how you can be the answer to someone’s needs right now. Because we take care of each other, that’s what we do.

This virus has caused so many needs to emerge in the past 4 months that there are no quick fixes for. No matter how much we desperately want there to be. So, we need each other to use whatever we do have right now to be the answer to one another’s needs.

How are your neighbors doing? Do they need something right now? Bread? Eggs? A shoulder? A smile? A listening ear? Help around their house? Someone to help get their groceries? Someone to check in on them to make sure they’re healthy?

Find out what they need and meet it.

And if you are in desperate need and you feel utterly hopeless and like you have absolutely nothing to give, then please use all the courage that you can muster and reach out to someone. And if that someone is me, I’m here for you. Whatever you need. Please let me know.

Because that’s who we are. People who see each other. People who listen to each other. The pain, the suffering, the anger, the loss. All of it. Because there’s more to the story. There’s always more to the story. And then we do what we can with what we have to meet each other’s needs.