I was on the phone with my mom the other night and inevitably, as all conversaciones progress lately, we found ourselves discussing COVID-19 and basically just how much it sucks. I was expressing to her my frustration with people protesting for things to open back up. For those who own small businesses, I understand their push for opening the country up. But those who just want to open the beaches because they miss playing in the sand or want the nail salon to open because their acrylics are breaking, really irk me. It seems to me that these people have lost perspective on the real issues. Loved ones are being lost daily, and our essential workers are risking their lives daily to give our citizens medical attention, groceries, accurate testing, and hopefully a vaccination or cure. This situation is hard for everyone, trust me I get it. We are all struggling, but the level of hardship, frustration, and loss we are experiencing ranges from person to person. To try to compare any two situations would just be foolish, because it just isn’t the same situation for anyone. I’ve heard a lot of people use the phrase “We’re all in the same boat” to express how this global issue is effecting all of us. But my mom brought the inaccuracy of that phrase to my attention as she said to me last night “We are all in the same storm, but we are NOT all in the same boat”. Of course she can’t take credit for this phrase, but when she spoke the words to me, everything clicked. She was absolutely right, each individual is facing a different obstacle tied to this pandemic. I think people find comfort in knowing they are not alone during a crisis, and they want to be able to relate to others. Many are choosing to do so by generalizing everyone’s suffering to the same level, which I find insensitive. We can still have a sense of community and create a united front during this pandemic, but we will only be able to properly do so by understanding that each individual’s needs are different. By assessing our own situation in comparison to others and giving ourselves some perspective, it may help us to transform our introspective and selfish thoughts into selfless and generous actions. I know that for myself, when I don’t have control over my life or the liberty to live as I please, I start to become anxious and tend to over plan and over prepare and selfishly dwell on all the things my life is lacking. Considering the low stock of toilet paper and clorox wipes, I can confidently conclude that many others feel the need to grasp control of anything they can during a crisis. I have to take a breath and remind myself to use this pandemic not as an opportunity to focus on myself, but to focus on what I can contribute to the world in this time. For each of us, that contribution will be and needs to be different. For those who are fortunate enough to stay employed, maybe it’s donating to the COVID-19 relief foundations that have been created. For those that were able to stock up on toilet paper, maybe it’s giving a few rolls to your neighbor who is running low. For those who are healthy and youthful enough, maybe it’s grocery shopping for your elderly neighbors and relatives. For those who are crafty, maybe it’s spending time making masks for anybody who needs one. For those who work in the medical field, it’s donating their time and energy and sacrificing their own health to heal others. But for all of us, it is practicing social distancing and creating positive energy and manifesting hope. The uncertainty and heightened fear tied to this is enough to mentally break all of us, and that is where we are all in the same boat. To keep our boat afloat through this storm, those of us who are strong enough must be resilient in fighting for hope and positivity for those who are unable to do so. Love Always, Jen
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Jenavieve Anna Capri
Hi guys, I just wanted to pop in and let you know a few things about me. I'm a Commercial Dance major at Pace University. I nanny on the side to help me afford living in this beautiful city. I live by the three Ts - Trader Joes, TJ Max, and Target. If it's salted caramel anything, I will gladly put it in my mouth. In my eyes Disneyland is the OG and Disney World will never compare. Hopefully, you'll choose to continue to get to know me more through these blog posts and my social media. Connect With Me:
Instagram: @jenannacapri25 |