Covid-19 still rages, as well as anger, grief and violence. The country is gradually “opening up” in stages, but still not fast enough for some, and others are afraid it’s too soon. Some are wearing masks, others think it’s not necessary, and some arguments have ensued. Many are not willing to allow others to choose their own paths, and still others are not interested in the common good but only what is comfortable for themselves.

On top of that, another African-American man, George Floyd, is dead by police action. Every time this happens I wonder how it could have happened again. Can’t we learn from the past at all? Is the fear that great? That’s what it is, it seems to me, fear, but why? What about blackness scares some people? Black men, in particular, seem to be targeted as “bad” and “dangerous.” They are not safe anywhere, and that must be very frightening to them.

So, what’s your point, you may be asking. What can we do about either of these circumstances? Covid-19 is rampant with no end in sight, no cure, and no remedy. We, who do not see black men as “bad” and would never do what happened to Mr. Floyd, are at a loss for knowing the solution for their continuing deaths. I guess awareness is all we have, and actions that recognize that awareness: become informed, act in safe ways in the matter of Covid-19, don’t prejudge anyone for how they appear or what they may be doing or not doing, and be kind and generous to all until they prove not worthy of those acts. Humanness is not perfection, but acting in good faith can be what we strive for.

I’m feeling a lot of grief for both those who have contracted, or may still contract, Covid-19 and George Floyd’s death. Yet, I keep getting up each day and living my life in the best way I know how and hoping things will get better. Hope, it’s another thing we can have.

This virus has brought out the worst, but also the best, in people: first responders, nurses and doctors, people helping to distribute food to those in need, others donating money and other resources to causes to help others. And whenever a black man is killed, people rally around the family. I read where almost 5 million dollars has been raised for the family of George Floyd. Of course money cannot replace the man, but it may relieve some of the burden of his death on his family.

For relief for your own trauma from all that is going on, watch the YouTube videos of Some Good News. It is a wonderfully refreshing look at the good going on right now. It will make you laugh, cry, and just feel better.

 

Think about something good you have read or heard about someone doing recently, and write about it.

Writing about negative feelings can help get you to a better place. I had that experience recently and came out feeling more positive about what is going on in my life. Write about your feelings about the virus or George Floyd’s death or something else weighing on your mind, and see if it takes you to a better place. Even if it doesn’t, just writing it down will help unburden your mind.

Do something positive for someone else, even something small, then write about the results and how you feel after doing it.

What can I say that no one else has said? All the newscasts are filled with Covid-19 reports, and they sound more dire as the days progress. I’m staying in my home except for grocery shopping, as are most of the people I know. We communicate by phone, email and text, as well as Zoom.

Zoom seems to have become the premier method of group gatherings. Some friends and I spent time together on it recently, and had a nice time catching up, talking and laughing. There’s something about seeing people’s faces even at a distance that makes the contact more intimate and meaningful, at least for me.

Yet with all the turmoil and overwhelm, life continues. But I’m wondering what will come after this crisis is over. Will we have been changed? Will we have awakened to the bare truths that have become clear during this time? Will we proceed in a different direction to repair and save the only home we have? I would like to think so, but I wonder. Sadly, I think we may sink back into what, over the years, has become “normal.” We may be relieved that the worst is over and adopt our old patterns to feel safe again. It will take a huge effort to not do that, to choose health for ourselves and our planet going forward.

I wrote two poems that began the same way, but ended differently. I posted the one with a positive ending on Facebook and read it on Open Mic of the Air, because I thought it is what people would want to hear at that moment, and it was relevant, too. But I will include the first version here, because it, as well, needs to be heard.

Virus

The magnolias in my front yard are blooming,
There is a blue jay sitting on my fence, peeping,
and spring rain is greening up my lawn.

Daffodils are showing their faces
en masse
in the medians of our city streets.

Regardless of our human condition,
the natural world is continuing
its normal flow.

From winter into spring
it marches without pause,
not looking back

to see if we’re coming along with it.
In fact, it’s thriving
because of our absence,

the lack of smoke in the air,
vehicle exhaust fogging the roads,
manufacturing waste pouring into rivers.

We are beginning to see
the other virus affecting our planet
has been our relentless abuse.

© 2020 Dorothy A Joslyn

What do you think may come next?

Write your own poem about the Covid-19 virus with an ending that reflects your feelings right now.

What is your next step? How do you expect to change, or not, when the crisis is over?

In this month that holds Valentine’s Day, I’ve been thinking about what it’s all about, really. It is a big commercial day: flowers; candy, especially chocolate; dinners out at nice restaurants; gifts; and a day when some people propose marriage to the ones they love. Shopping aisles are full of red and pink everything trying to draw us into the “spirit of the day.” I believe in love, but maybe on a softer, quieter level.

The love I’d like to talk about this month is self-love. Experts say that if you can’t love yourself, you can’t really love someone else. What are the signs of self-love?

eating properly
getting enough sleep
being at least a little social
moving your body/exercise
being kind to yourself
forgiving yourself when you make mistakes
appreciating yourself when you accomplish something you’ve been working toward
rewarding yourself in some way for that accomplishment
talking to yourself as you do to a good friend
having some fun
and on and on with all the positive thoughts you can muster for yourself

Here is a poem I found by e.h. (Erin Hanson) that gave me food for thought. I hope it will for you, too.

Not

You are not your age,
Nor the size of clothes you wear.
You are not a weight,
Or the colour of your hair.
You are not your name,
Or the dimples in your cheeks.
You are all the books you read,
And all the words you speak.
You are your croaky morning voice,
And the smiles you try to hide.
You’re the sweetness in your laughter,
And every tear you’ve cried.
You’re the songs you sing so loudly,
When you know you’re all alone.
You’re the places that you’ve been to,
And the one that you call home.
You’re the things that you believe in,
And the people that you love.
You’re the photos in your bedroom,
And the future you dream of.
You’re made of so much beauty,
But it seems that you forgot,
When you decided that you were defined
By all the things you’re not.

https://ericalayne.co/youre-made-much-beauty-seems-forgot-printable/

What are some things you know you are that you don’t show to the world? Make a list, then write about one of them: what makes it you, why don’t you show it, how do you feel about hiding it?

How have you defined yourself in ways you are really not.

Write a poem contrasting an aspect that is the real you with one you show the world.

Most of us are thinking about gift-giving around this time of year, and it is often a stressful time. That defeats the purpose of gift-giving, which could be joyful and fun. Maybe we can begin with a gift to ourselves, one of calm and peacefulness during this season of many different celebrations. How can we “buy” that gift for ourselves?

We can be aware of the stress first and acknowledge it. Then look for the reasons for the stress: maybe it’s a lack of money to buy all the gifts on your list, or not knowing what Mom really would like, or not enough time to do all the shopping. Whatever it is, look inward for the answers to the dilemmas, because they are there. You know what to do. Go to stillness and breathe deeply of peacefulness. Then choose the answers that make sense to you. Can you give time instead of something you buy? Can you help with a project or something the person needs done? Can you make something? These are things that come to my mind; your answers may be something else. I wish you a wonderful holiday season, whatever and however you celebrate.

Here is a poem that may show you a way to banish stress:

Gift
It is for me,
this gift of being here,
now,
and for all of us,
if we embrace it.

Notice what is before you
in this moment,
glorious
time we can use
any way we wish.

We can celebrate life,
give of ourselves to something
satisfying
that pulls us in,
or just be still.

Put aside the stresses
of living and worry.
Yes,
it can be done,
if you treasure this gift.

So much doesn’t matter
that we carry with us,
blocking
the light
of what is always there.

If we turn our eyes
that are closed
inward,
we will see
from a different view.

Be calm in your hearts
by breathing
deeply
of the silence
that is in you,

and fall into peace.

© 2019 Dorothy A Joslyn

Write about some ideas you may have to celebrate the season in calmness and peace.

Write a good memory of a holiday in the past that made you happy.

What do you do every year at this time that creates a tradition for you and/or your family that makes happy memories?

If you don’t or don’t feel like celebrating, write about how you can create peacefulness in your life anyway in the midst of holiday hype.

It’s October with only ¼ of the year left in 2019. I’m in the habit of saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun. . .or even if you’re not having fun.” But this month is my birth month, and I’m going to be 70. It seems like a long time ago that I came into this world. So much has happened in my lifetime: computers, cell phones, digital everything, climate change, electric cars and all sorts of gadgets for the home that make life so much easier. How about that robot vacuum cleaner that does all the work for you? Or food processors and microwave popcorn poppers, not to mention microwaves themselves? So, in the whole scope of things, time stretches back a long way, and I marvel that here is where I ended up.
And I can’t complain. Other than a few physical annoyances, I am healthy and happy. I do what I want with my time. I make the choices for how my life looks. If it starts going downhill, I have only myself to blame. But my uphill belongs to me, too, and I’ve done well, I believe, to make a life I’m comfortable with. To me, this monthly write is a lifeline, a way I can reflect on what’s going on and what I hope to discover that’s left in my life.

Here is a poem by Mary Oliver that I think you will enjoy:

What Can I Say?

What can I say that I have not said before?
So I’ll say it again.
The leaf has a song in it.
Stone is the face of patience.
Inside the river there is an unfinishable story
and you are somewhere in it
and it will never end until all ends.
Take your busy heart to the art museum and the
chamber of commerce
but take it also to the forest.
The song you heard singing in the leaf when you
were a child
is singing still.
I am of years lived, so far, seventy-four,
and the leaf is singing still.

~ “What Can I Say” from Swan by Mary Oliver; © 2010 Mary Oliver, Beacon Press, Boston, MA ~

What keeps you going. living, being? What matters enough to you that you look forward to your days just for the joy of them?

Write about your last birthday and how you felt about getting a year older.

Make a list of what has emerged into the public domain since you were born. Choose one and write about it.

Make a gratitude list of everything you can think of that matters to you. I hope it will make you smile.