emotions

The Question to Ask Right Now

I expected it. I didn’t realize its full impact until days later. So much has been canceled, but I held onto the hope that this late June gathering of writers wouldn’t be another victim of the virus. The joy of looking forward to something glimmered until the email arrived. The organizers were unable to create a plan that was safe for all of us. We were going to meet virtually.

Instead of “Pomp and Circumstance” or the “Wedding March”, the soundtrack of this Spring might be more akin to the sound of air escaping from a balloon. You might even be feeling a little deflated yourself.

The young adults in my house are tired of living in a cage and are restless to spread their wings again. Honestly, I am too. The good old standbys of comfort baking and Netflix no longer provide the solace they offered a few weeks ago.

Soul Comfort in a Crisis

It seems as if everyone I talk to is suffering from a low-grade Quarantine-itis. The symptoms range from crying at the drop of a hat, short-tempered outburst over small things, and a general sense of anxiety about what is coming next. If this sounds familiar, I have some ideas about how to move out of this funk.

Our enemy is microscopic and has us divided into small groups preventing the linking arms and standing closer than 6 feet. In this surreal space, it is hard not to want to cry at the drop of a hat. Thankfully, we are not alone and we can help those on the front lines with our prayer.

Instead of diving headlong into things that normally bring us comfort like a bag of Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos, what if we did more of what fuels our souls?