Regardless of the chaos we seem to be living in currently, the bigger picture includes opportunities to be grateful. Sometimes it’s difficult to find gratitude in our hearts; we have to dig deep to find things, even small things, that enhance our lives. But they are there. For example, the past few days at my house have been cold, rainy and gloomy, but today the sun is out, and it’s a beautiful day. It raised my spirits. There was even something good about the preceding days; we needed rain badly, and the earth drank it in.

I continue to maintain my gratitude journal; I list at least five things a day that I’m grateful for, and I always find them as I rethink my days. Doing that task helps me sleep better.

Can we find gratitude in the undeniable facts of our world: a nail biter of an election, Covid-19, wildfires in the west, hurricanes in the south and east, deep racial unrest that must be addressed? Those are all serious issues that we can’t just gloss over; we have to meet them head on and work through them. So, I’m not talking about a Pollyannaish view of things, just an invitation to take brief breaks from the negative reality to look at what it positive, which is also reality. Doing that may help sooth our fears and anger at all the carnage around us.

The first thing we must do at the beginning of this month is vote. It’s a concrete way to have our say and is critical in these times. If you haven’t already voted, please do so.

Another thing we must do is work toward our goal of corralling the coronavirus by wearing masks, washing our hands, physical distancing and staying away from crowds. These are easy things to do, and they have been shown to help.

We may not be able to do anything directly about the fires and hurricanes, but we can support in whatever ways we can those who are helping relieve the devastation of both of these natural disasters.

We can educate ourselves about racial injustice, and follow through with whatever actions we can take to stop the oppression of races other than white. Why I have to write that confounds me. It is long, long overdue.

Then, November 26 is Thanksgiving Day. Let’s take a little time to rest in what is good in our lives. The chaos will still be there on the 27th, and we can continue to deal with it then.

Another thing that can help get us where we want to go is write about our experiences, feelings, actions and all the things that matter to us. Here are a few prompts to get you started.

Think about something you can do to contribute to solutions to the problems that face us as individuals and as a part of the community of all people and write about your conclusions. . . or questions if that’s all you have right now.

Make a list of gratitudes you have. Include everything you can think of, no matter how small or how inconsequential they may seem. They all matter and can make you happy to write them down.

What is the most important issue to you right now? Write down everything you can think of about it and why it means so much to you.

We’ve passed the six-month mark of the first Covid-19 virus diagnosis in the US, January 21, 2020, and it still rages with more and more cases every day, as well as increasing deaths due to its spread. We’ve also passed the two-month mark of the death of George Floyd, May 25, 2020. Both of these occurrences have changed the landscape of our lives in this country, and I feel we must pay attention to them, learn and act. They are turning points, and we can go either way on both of them: either show our humanity and care about and for each other, all of us, or ignore the consequences of selfish actions and continue with our own individual lives as if no one else matters.

We must wear masks. We must practice physical distancing. We must wash our hands frequently and sanitize surfaces. These are not difficult guidelines, and they can save lives, maybe even our own. Yet there are those who protest, especially mask wearing. They say it violates their personal freedom. But what about the freedom of others to be safe? We do not live in a vacuum. There are millions of others sharing the same spaces, and they have rights, too. But more than that, what about compassion and good will? How have we somehow fallen off the path of decency and caring? How do we get back on it?

Then there is the rampant racism infecting our country. It has been present for generations, and I’ll bet most of us don’t even know why it began, let alone why it continues. People who are held down for so long are bound to rebel, and it’s what we’re seeing now in the streets of many cities around the country. And who can blame them? People of color want equality and fairness, and they should have them. They shouldn’t have to fight for rights they already have. They should be treated as the equal citizens they are.

It seems too much to have two battles to fight at once, but it’s what we’ve been given, and there is no avoiding them. Are we going to be participating citizens and good people or angry, mean, selfish people? I hope that most of us will be the former.

Who Will We Become?

Who will we become
as we try to find our way
through this maze?
Will we move with assurance
along the winding paths
or bump into dead end after dead end
and grow frustrated and afraid
that we won’t find our way out?
Will we become stronger
and more self-reliant
or shrink within ourselves
and hide from reality?
Will we be kind and generous
or selfish and angry?
The unknown can be frightening
or an exploration of what is within.
Who will we become
in these times of uncertainty?
Which will we choose to follow,
the rabbit down his hole
or the sun moving across the sky?

© 2020 Dorothy A Joslyn

Write about what you can do to slow the spread of Covid-19. What are you doing now? How do you feel when you are out in the world?

How can you educate yourself about racism in our country? How do you define it? What will you do to help eradicate it?

Write about how you are feeling in these uncertain and volatile times. Pour your emotions, fears and hopes on the page. How can you maintain your equilibrium and continue living your life under these trying circumstances?

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.