Hope in the face of COVID-19
By Ashley Elliott
This is uncharted territory for all of us.
The Coronavirus has become the focal point of our lives. Fear, hysteria, and uncertainty have forcefully integrated themselves into our conversations, movements, and worldviews. As a result of the constant media coverage and the direct impact that the virus has had on each of us, we cannot avoid the unfortunate truth — how it has touched us to this point and how it will continue to touch us as we navigate life during and after this time.
Perhaps one of the more challenging aspects of the Coronavirus is the social distancing required of us to flatten the curve. Between fearfully locking ourselves inside of our homes, anxiously maneuvering through supermarkets, and distrustfully eyeing other passengers on public transportation, this level of physical isolation is quite daunting and exhausting. These efforts to remain safe and healthy have forced us to abandon our visions for 2020; our plans for the beginning of the new decade have been turned upside-down.
This is a defining moment for our generation. A pandemic is preying on us all. It is robbing some of us of life’s most precious moments and robbing many others of life itself. We have never met a greater challenge. As the highest levels of leadership fail us in real time, the responsibility falls, once again, on the individual. It is time for us to step up. It is time for us to do what we can to save ourselves — to save each other. For some, that means staying home. For some that means donating blood. For some, that means volunteering. For many, that means finding the strength to continue carrying out essential operations, such as working in supermarkets, operating public transportation, or treating patients battling against the virus itself. We all have a role to play.
Nobody has ever been in this position before. But we are living and navigating this pandemic together — we are all experiencing this for the first time and at the same time. There is no right or wrong way to feel this, as we have neither a guidebook nor a blueprint. We are writing these plans together.
According to Brené Brown — a research professor at the University of Houston and five-time New York Times bestselling author — vulnerability is risk, uncertainty, and emotional exposure. This period is open season on vulnerability. It’s both raw and completely unguarded. Brown also notes vulnerability as the birthplace of love, belonging, courage and creativity, which tells us that as traumatic as this moment is, there is hope.
If we choose to be vulnerable with one another in the face of uncertainty, we may be able to soften the blow of isolation during this time of physical distancing. We are still able to foster community, support and love. Yes, this virus will test us and challenge us all to step toe-to-toe with fear. However, this is not a fear that we must face alone.
Presently, there is light. There will be an after. Hope is not in short supply.
Though many of us are feeling pain in its sharpest form, there is still much to be gained: we can develop a deeper appreciation for our moments together, get a fresher perspective on the depths and power of friendships and relationships, and learn and how to live in them more wholeheartedly than before. Hope is alive when we see everyday individuals step up to aid their communities by volunteering countless hours to support to those in need, when we see teachers going out of their way to care for their students and ensure that they don’t fall behind, and when we see first responders exhausted from endless work but determined to press on because they know that their work is a matter of life and death. Hope even exists as the seasons turn — it is a reminder that we are not frozen in place and that time is still moving.
What is left to ponder now is the sacredness of time, what we took for granted, and how we will ensure that we never take the moments of joy and togetherness for granted again. May we use this time to speak in our truest, most honest voices. May we appreciate joy even more. May we remember those who will not have the same chance to do so. May we honor their memories as best as we can.
Bonds can and will strengthen. We will check on each other and care for one another. This is a wave that we have no choice but to ride together. Birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and all of life’s most exceptional moments will not be cancelled — they have simply been postponed, as the fire and love that bred them has not expired. It continues, and it strengthens.
The darkest of times can teach us a great deal. May one of the lessons be unity. Sending an abundance of love and gratitude to each of you.