Its always easy to freak out when you're standing at the edge of the great unknown. We're faced with something that may affect or kill us or someone we know and we don't even have to engage in any kind of risky, self destructive behavior to be targeted by it. This is something we can be afflicted with just by being the naturally social animals that human beings are. We shake hands, we hug, we hold, we gather. We walk close and strike up conversations with strangers in line at the grocery store. Its just what we do.
I think that is the source of the underlying terror of the outbreak and the uncertainty that a lot of people are feeling right now. We aren't terrified of not being able to enjoy a bar steak and Long Island Iced Tea at our favorite restaurant so much as that feeling of isolation from the daily routine of what we are naturally accustomed to and constantly in search of, which is companionship and human interaction. I constantly suffer from anxious depression and I'm also an introverted empath. That's a fun little cocktail to sip on from the moment you wake up after 45 minutes of sleep to 19 hours later when you spend 4 hours trying to sleep. I'm somewhat used to feeling isolated. Its what I do.
I'm saying to take this time and use it wisely. Create or absorb the work of creatives and find something inspiring.
One of my favorite things to do when I have a particularly difficult day, is I take a walk in my woods. Especially this time of year. The beauty of seeing the leaves twist in the breeze and the rays of sun passing between the maple trees and firs forming broken golden triangles from the ground to the sky. I take my shoes off and feel the grass and soil directly under my feet. I think about the microscopic ecosystems frantically at work everywhere around me and the mites and microbes generating energy and all the miniature machines constantly finding ways to survive in the changing season.
This is our chance to rediscover the beauty within ourselves and around us. In the age of instant gratification, we've gotten so used to not being told 'no' that I think we've forgotten what its like when the world says it to us.
No matter your beliefs, Earth is the ultimate functional work of art. It supports all of us. It always displays its beauty even after we've killed a large number of our own species intentional or not, it gives us the resources we need to live our lives, and a great deal of inspiration to draw from and wonder about. Its always there for us and our interpretation.
In times like this its easy to panic and start pointing fingers and fall into the mob mentality.
Unplug and go outside. Or stay inside. Look at the different textures of surfaces and start thinking of all of everything going on around you even when it feels like you're isolated. Appreciate the light as well as the darkness, and if you need an example of surviving quarantine, look at your dog and ask yourself, 'Does he care that he can't sip his caramel macchiato in an uncomfortable chair in a room full of people?' Nope. Just like the world, he simply needs you to keep a level head.
Appreciate the art of life.
Take care of yourself.