I am finding that the ongoing experience of the pandemic is similar to having a large application open on my computer’s desktop. It is always there, running in the background. And even if I’m not currently thinking about the pandemic, it is still there, zapping energy from all the other applications I am trying to operate.
This metaphor helps me to understand why so many of us are all feeling a bit “off” right now. We may turn the news off for a while and try not to think about what is happening, but there is no way to “force quit” what’s going on in the world.
I share this in hopes that it can give us all permission to be a little more patient and gentle with ourselves and everyone whom we encounter. The mental and spiritual health challenges are mounting for all of us. How could it be otherwise?
In early February, I wrote a column about mindful self-compassion. I find it to be a helpful practice for my own emotional and spiritual well-being right now. If you are looking for another habit to add to your now regular habit of handwashing, I highly recommend it.
Finally, I am also finding that it really helps to give myself permission not to be my ordinarily productive self. There is nothing ordinary about this time, and we are wise to not hold ourselves to standards that simply don’t apply right now. Until the pandemic subsides, all of the other applications in our lives (and in the lives of those we love) will run a little more slowly and a little less efficiently.
So remember to be kind, for everyone you meet, including yourself, is fighting a hard battle.
Article by The Rev. Dr. D. Scott Stoner, Living Compass
