ENCOURAGING WORDS By Dennis Merritt Jones
The likelihood is that while I am sitting alone in my home writing this article you are sitting in your home alone (perhaps with other family members) reading it. In the past few weeks, the Coronavirus, spreading exponentially on a global level, has isolated us from one another and become our central point of focus, commanding the attention of the world—and understandably so. Unfortunately, some of the media is capitalizing on the news because fear always seems to sell. This is why we need to find the balance between being well informed and obsessively frightened by what we are being told. When collectively and mindlessly embraced, fear can make normally rational people act in irrational ways. There is deep wisdom in my friend Gary Zukav’s aforementioned quote, “When fear ceases to scare you, it cannot stay.”
At first, it might appear that fear comes from the very thing we are fearing, be it a threat of physical harm, a scary prognosis from a doctor, a crashing stock market, the Coronavirus, etc. The reality is that fear is a feeling that wells up inside us as a reaction to an outer stimulus. That stimulus can, and does, change constantly. Fear is generally attached to a concern about the loss of something in our world of people, places, and things, such as one’s health, a job, a lifestyle, a relationship, a reputation, a title, or a material possession. It might even be a fear of the ultimate loss; the life of a loved one or even our own life. The question is, where does our ability to control anything lie? When driven by fear and uncertainty the herd mentality takes over and the stampede is on. Call it human nature but I think we are better than that.
While very scary and tragic, this pandemic has also illuminated the very best in so many people. I am not just talking about our incredibly heroic doctors, nurses, scientists, and first responders who are putting themselves in the middle of this pandemic every day. I am also referring to the amazing folks who are keeping our pharmacies, grocery stores (and supply chains) open and supplied—as well as those businesses and individuals gearing up to make critically needed supplies. Of course, and then there are thousands upon thousands of regular folks like you and me working hard to adjust to the “new normal” of living in quarantine and trying to honor the requests and mandates of our public officials as they try to get a handle on this crisis.
As awakened, evolving human beings, we begin to realize there is great power in our ability to choose the filter (or lens) through which we see life. How we consciously perceive fear will determine our ability to step into the unknown with clarity and confidence—or not. The only thing we have absolute control over is our choice to either react mindlessly or respond mindfully to “what is” in the current moment. There it is: Uncertainty is not the enemy—the fear of uncertainty is. This pandemic invites us to get comfortable with learning how to be “out of control.” By this, I don’t mean being out of control with our actions, choices, and behavior; I mean understanding that while we may have no control over the future, or what “should or shouldn’t” happen tomorrow, we can alter the altitude of our attitude by developing an inner knowing that everything will ultimately return to a new normal. Let’s mindfully and proactively do what must be done today to stay safe and informed—but let us also remember, as the master teacher once said, “This too shall pass.”
I love the acronym, EGBOK: Everything Gonna Be OK. We are ALL in this moment of crisis together and we need to be there for one another; that is how we get through this; together. I encourage you to support the local merchants and small businesses in our area—especially those who advertise in the Paradise News—because they are the lifeblood of our precious community; you’ll want them around when the new normal has passed. Support them online or any way you safely can, knowing that one day, sooner or later, life will find its balance once again and we’ll all be better and stronger because of it.
So, repeat after me: “EGBOK”—the word of the day. Now that is something to spread around!
Peace, Dennis Merritt Jones
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