Good beautiful morning Minhions! I hope your family and friends are healthy, physically and mentally. These have been difficult times and will only be more difficult especially as winter is coming. Please snuggle in your beds and blankets with any drink you prefer and enjoy the short read of my thoughts!
With over 11 million cases and about 250 thousand deaths in the United States, we see certain states have begun to shut down in fear of the coming holidays which is very understandable. Although I grew up without large celebrations for the holidays, I’ve grown to love these times. The feeling of family, cheer, and love has captured me yet this year, all I feel is fear, doubt, and anxiousness.
I recently reconnected with friend who visited from another state and reminisced about the summer trip the year before. Mind you, this trip was the first time I met everyone! I began talking to this group of friends who live in other states through Facebook. Some were from Michigan, Florida, Virginia, and Missouri! We decided to rent out a house, fly down to Orlando, and just party! As we were talking, I felt the mental strain exude from their demeanor. They were discussing a possible trip to visit a state in the south around New Years to relieve the stress of confinement. I jokingly mentioned that it would probably be more fun visiting a state that doesn’t believe in the existence of COVID.
It later dawned on me that this is the problem. Humans are social creatures and never meant to be confined. Although joking, a part of me wanted to disregard COVID so that I may have some normalcy to my life. This is a double-edged sword type of position; do we place our individual needs for our sanity over the physical health of the collective?
Sometimes, I find myself relocating to my favorite coffee shop, Curitiba, to write or do my work just because I miss seeing people! I take all precautions for others by continuing to social distance and wear my mask. The news of Moderna and Pfizer creating a vaccine is a silver lining, but it is uncertain when it is readily available to the masses. Christmas movies have been important to remind myself of happier emotions when it is easy to let negativity consume my mind.
So, what do you do when the holidays have revolved around family gatherings?
I’ve already cancelled my Thanksgiving with my cousins, but I’m sure other families will attempt to see each other. This holiday will be the test on our society; do you choose your sanity or the health of the collective? I understand both and have no right to deem what is wrong or right. The lived experience of others with their situations is something I will never know. However, I can only hope that everyone takes precaution and do their part as best as they can. How will the chapter of 2020 end and how will 2021 start?
It is truly the Holi-dazed…
MoMinhts 