Surviving The Covid Crisis - keeping positive

Ok, today, it's not about hifi, music or the usual stuff. But with the current Covid crisis around, and a bit of down time, I figured I should get a tad reflective and also share. Can we be or stay positive during these darks times?

It is almost impossible to imagine or recall what it was like before Covid hit us. What were you doing back then, about 11 months ago?

Many had imagined it to be a passing dark cloud, lasting for around the same duration as MERS, SARS or some of the other viruses and afflictions that have come our way. A minor blip, maybe a small drop in the share market, some cancelled leave and we will be back in business.

However it has not turned out to be so. For those of us who live through this, it will be an event that will define us, that we will remember for the rest of our lives and it affects everyone, all around the world. Some of are suffering more than the rest, others can only watch helplessly, and yet there are those who will emerge unscathed, or even profit from this crisis. 

At some point, I had to be knee deep in the frontline, and I had to figure out a way to keep my own chin up, and also motivate many of those who work with me, for me and those that look up to me. Some of my students fell into despair, or felt hopeless, with aspirations dashed, or face an uncertain future. Death, destruction and depression was all around. 

However in the depths of such moments, it's very important to be that man or woman. He or she who rises to the occasion. These are moments that define us, and it is also a unique opportunity to help touch lives around us.

One of the important things is to stay positive, and that can be easier said than done. Some days, I also feel like it seems like a never ending cycle, of waking up, donning your gear and going to work. What we do does not seem to make a difference, and it's easy to slip into darkness. In fact, I went into radio silence for a while because it's akin to the silence many who have been to war do. Ask those WWII vets. You don't find them boasting about their exploits, yakking away at bars, showing off their scars and such. Only in private or when they are with their fellow brethren, do they commensurate. 

So one very crucial thing is to ventilate, find some friends to lean on, and share. Then find something positive to keep your focus. It's not that easy to open up, or even find people who might listen or dare to hang out with us, but there are always such friends. 

Second, hobbies. During SARS, I took up golf. It was open, fresh air and you were in bright sunlight. I was awful at it, but nevertheless, I was out there, far away from the frontlines. You can read, but I think it's important to get out there, in the open, get some sun, exercise a bit too.

During the SARS crisis, many of the frontline staff went to the nearby Balestier cinema, and although there were no instructions, each sat a certain distance away from each other, and what was on the screen was not important, but in the dark, you could either hear quiet breathing from people just taking a nap, or sobs from tired voices and then when the lights go on, these healthcare workers (HCW) would emerge into the sun, and go back to the frontlines, just a tad better or in control of themselves. Now cinemas are pretty much a no no, and no sane HCW will want to add to the mess. 

Now each of these do not give a real relief in themselves, but take small steps to make things better.

I like walks, and nature, so the solitude it affords gives me calm, peace and the ability to go back to the crazy frontlines.  

Now somedays you can't go out, or you don't have that kind of time. I then allow my mind to take flight, and bring itself to a place which gave me calm, peace and the recovery I needed. One such place was an indoor pool in Montreal, which was suitably empty and more importantly, it was warm. It was winter, and below zero outside, but inside, in the water, it was welcoming, almost like the being back in the womb or being in a cradle. 

There was another place, at dusk in Iceland where I felt very calm and I allow myself to be transported there. 

Finally, it always gives me peace of mind to be back in Oz, and recall this trip when my mates came to visit me when I was in a bad way. They travelled all the way over, and we did a road trip to Melbourne, and I took this when it was dusk. Peace..

But amidst it all, it's vital to PRAY. Keep close to Him. Remember all of His creations, and how He walked with many others in their moments of crisis. Bring all your worries unto Him.