Thinking Outside of The Box

Around the United States and the world, there are suddenly millions of people who find themselves without a job or a means of income. Loved ones are sick and dying. Our futures have suddenly been put into doubt due to the Coronavirus Pandemic that has closed so many schools, businesses, events, and social gatherings. The wheels of our economy have come to a screeching halt in a manner of 2 months all because of the smallest of micro-organisms. We are isolating from each other in an attempt to prevent or slow the spread of the disease in order to save lives. And it is still spreading.

Many of us are struggling to find a way to make ends meet. Unemployment claims have skyrocketed in a matter of weeks. I personally filed my first ever claim recently, only to have it rejected because of some unknown technicality. To make matters worse, the Department of Labor is too inundated with calls and claims to answer the phone, a chat, or email inquiries. Our stimulus checks have not arrived yet. Our loan and grant funds are not in our bank accounts. And still there are millions of people without jobs. Our economy is in shambles. All of this poses the question: What are we going to do?

This situation has been a wake-up call for many people. It shows the dangers of a society which forces many families to live paycheck to paycheck, where all it takes is for one thing to temporarily interrupt the delivery of that money and everything begins to fall apart. It has also shown our reliance on television and other forms of entertainment to pass the time. When The NCAA Basketball Tournament was cancelled I (and many other people) could actually feel it in the pit of my stomach. In retrospect, it seems I should probably attach my emotions to something more important to my life. Instead I've returned to going for outdoor runs/walks and breathing the fresh air, which is still a great way to pass the time.

I don't know how many other people share this point of view, but I feel this is an opportunity to look at our lives from a different perspective. It's an opportunity to feel gratitude toward what we have and not take all of our freedoms and privileges for granted. I think many of us will look at the world with a new appreciation for our loved ones and how lucky we are that they are still here to share time with. Many of us will look at the beauty of the natural landscapes with a new depth of feeling and awe because we have been reminded that being able to do so again is not guaranteed.

While many are struggling to find ways to simply spend the copious amounts of time they have during our current "shelter-in-place" reality, this time can also be an opportunity to learn new skills and perhaps even start the process of pursuing new careers through educational courses and online research. Many of us have not had access to so much time off from our working lives since we joined the work force, and we may never be in a situation like this again (hopefully!). So take advantage while you can! In contrast, this is also a great opportunity to spend time with your family and also get outside (with a select group of people while following social distancing guidelines of course) and into nature, which is good for the soul.

How will this all turn out? No one knows for certain. But I'm taking the optimistic approach that everything will be OK, and that certain aspects of our lives may end up being better than before.

Either way, at the end of this roller coaster ride we're going to find out.