navigating the pandemic

Seven Seconds that Might Save Your Sanity

Social distancing and sheltering-in-place affect more than how many feet separate us in the grocery check-out line. Driving home from the store the other day, my mother commented about other drivers allowing more distance between their cars.

A psychological shift occurs when our social cues are altered. So much has changed in such a short period of time.

It’ll be a while before we’re able to gather in ways that feel familiar. Part of loving our neighbor will mean wearing a mask. It protects you and those around you. It also helps our medical providers by keeping infection rates low.

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?