Our world is broken. And like a broken leg that needs to heal, we are being asked, through the lockdowns that are being imposed in some countries, to allow our world to heal.
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Sure, any break is a shock to the system. One moment, we’re training hard; the next moment, we’re on the floor with a snapped bone, and life, for the foreseeable future, is rendered entirely different.
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As such, our minds struggle to perceive the sudden new reality. It either wants to grasp on to the former unbroken state, or fast-forward prematurely to the healed state. Our minds insist on living the life it has known. But anyone who’s had a broken leg knows that if we ignore what is broken, if we ignore the requisite transition time, we pay the consequences.
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The good thing is we are no strangers to change. Transition is our default state, always drifting from shore to shore — hungry to comfortable, young to old, healthy to sick. We know how to adapt, albeit with a mental lag.
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However, a mental shift NOW is IMPERATIVE. We need to finally accept that our world is broken, and that it will be a while until it heals. We cannot insist on latching on to a normal life — with “innocuous” dinners out, happy hours, brunches with friends, and gym visits — without paying the consequences.
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Because absolutely NOTHING about this new reality is normal. Every time we step out of the house, every day we require employees to go to work (in non-essential industries), we increase the risk of virus spread, of hitting the vulnerable and elderly, of burdening our hospitals, of further endangering our healthcare workers.
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We shouldn’t take the cue from our governments who are struggling to grasp the reality (here’s looking at you, US and UK). We need to think for ourselves. Because in this pandemic, if one country screws up, we are aaaall screwed. So, let us settle into this necessary transition, get comfortable in our homes, and allow the healing to happen
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#stayhomepeople
Anna Metcalf says
Very well said Ani – hoping you and your family are staying safe in this dire time.
wingwmn says
Thank you, Anna. Stay well!