View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Giulia Rosa (@giuliajrosa) on Jan 21, 2020 at 9:24am PST

Elephant’s Continually-updating Coronavirus Diary. ~ Waylon

For many of us, our inclination when we see potential loss coming, is to withdraw and hide away from the impending pain we might end up feeling.

Of all the “things” we could potentially lose from this pandemic, the one that makes many of us feel most vulnerable is the potential loss of someone we love more than life itself. No one in our lives is immune to this disease, and this leaves us feeling completely and utterly exposed—as if in one second, everything we know and love could be taken from us.

This can put us in a place of fear, doubt, and create a desire to withdraw; we want to run from the difficult emotions, in hopes of numbing ourselves should the unthinkable happen.

But, in times like these, when it’s so easy to disconnect, to withdraw, to numb, I urge you to resist. Resist pushing away those fears.

Don’t let them run your life, but understand that they are there to tell you something. They are there to tell you that you have people in your life who are so great that the loss would be unbearable. You have someone who you would miss should they leave. You have someone who brings light and love into your life—enough so that you couldn’t stand the thought of losing them. Understand that this is a gift.

Fear itself is a difficult emotion, but its very presence shows us that we are blessed with something that would hurt to lose.

Friends, don’t run. Don’t run from those connections, because loss is possible. If anything, this mess is teaching us about the fragility of life, about how quickly life can change in ways we never imagined.

Tell those close to you that you love them, pay attention to the way you feel when you hug your loving pet, the way your friend’s voice sounds on the other end of the phone, the way a familiar laugh can send immeasurable joy throughout your body.

This is not a time to panic, but to reevaluate what is most important. To understand the enormity of those small moments we take so for granted.

Nothing lasts forever, friends. Don’t let those little moments with those you love so deeply slip by without understanding how immensely important they are. Understand that all that really matters is the love you share with those around you.

Do not let these circumstances harden you. Instead, let them soften you, let them permeate every fiber of your being, making you feel vulnerable, exposed, alive in every sense of the word. The only moment we are ever promised is the here and now.

What are you doing to make sure you’re not missing out on the moments that, in the end, will have been the most important? What are you doing to let love in?

~

Relephant:

How to Enjoy Life Amidst the Coronavirus Fear: Your Go-To Guide from Books to Podcasts & Wellness Practices.
What the Coronavirus is Teaching Me: 5 Lessons from Uncertain Times.
The Artist’s Stay-at-Home & Stay Sane Guide.
10 Simple Ways to Boost your Immunity without Leaving the House.