Hey! What’s up? What’s the good word? Now, I know what you’re thinking… I disappeared for a bit and then suddenly I have two new posts?? Accurate, that’s exactly what happened. If you read my last article, You Might Fall, But Don’t Forget to Get Up, you know that this has taken a bit of a toll on me. I wasn’t expecting this to hit me quite as hard as it has, but if you think I’m going to let a virus tear me apart, that’s just simply incorrect my friend! Finishing up a demanding year of schooling seems to be the last thing on my mind. But life does go on, the world doesn’t stop for anything, or anyone!
I find myself staying up far too late most of these nights, and sometimes it’s just simply thinking about all of this. Sometimes I don’t even have words to say and it’s crazy to me that this is still a thing going on. So here’s some of my thoughts that I have when it tends to be ridiculous hours of the evening. I hope these are relatable in any sense.
First, this could be a whole lot worse. Nobody’s struggle is more or less valid than anyone else’s and this completely sucks for everyone. I’m not downplaying anyones struggles and what they’re going through, but it’s times like this when I think it’s important to remember what we do have, versus what we don’t have. For me, I’m safe, my family is safe, and my friends are safe. I get to wake up to a beautiful view of my city that I know I’ll be able to get back to someday. I also have access to my friends with the click of a button. Sure, I lost my original and traditional graduation commencement. Yes that’s true. But there’s no doubt in my mind that my college is working to accommodate us for when this ends. They do not want our achievements to go unrecognized-- we spoke up, and they heard our voices. So maybe that means everything you had planned will be pushed off the original timeline, but don’t think of it as cancelled. I don’t believe in cancelations of these things. They’re being postponed. And to every senior in the nation that feels this, be it high school, college, or even beyond those, you’re not alone. And don’t forget that you did the work. This virus cannot take away all of the countless hours that you’ve studied and worked for this. If no one has told you this today, I’m proud of you. You did that! You’re amazing!
Second, find something that you love and throw yourself into it. Now is the time. I’ve mentioned a few times some of the things that are important to me, and it was actually my mom (thanks mom!) who pointed out to me that I’m one of those people that goes through phases of absolutely loving something and giving it everything I have. I’ve found myself listening to more Podcasts, watching new series, checking out more movies, and even playing new games (yeah, I’m talking about Dungeons and Dragons, but it gives me something to look forward to every week, and I’d truly be lying if I said I wasn’t excited for this hangout that happens every Saturday night). I have a class that I’m taking this semester that also actually keeps me going. The class is Jazz and Blues singing. Full disclosure, I’m not a singer, but this class goes WAY beyond the ideas of ‘learning how to sing’. My professor, Antoinette Montague, is a real working jazz musician and singer, and she says some of the most inspiring one liners that always remind me that I’m still here, and I’m still rocking and rolling. Our homework is to keep a log of 5 minutes a day of creativity. That’s it, just 5 minutes a day. It’s simple and oftentimes, 5 minutes leads to way more time of creativity and before I know it, I’m in one of my favorite activities yet again-- creating. Her motto is one that I’ve written down so many times, and even if you don’t think of yourself as an artist, you are. You have a story and when you communicate your story, regardless of how you do it, don’t forget that it deserves to be told. I’d like to share her motto with you, it tends to help me when it feels like nothing will. She makes us repeat it back to her through Zoom, so if this resonates with you, I invite you to do the same, speak it! Here we go; “Art comes to the rescue of humanity during times of crisis. I am an artist”. The brain is a powerful thing, if you say something enough, you will start to believe it.
Third, we’re doing all we can and it’s starting to work. Will the world return to normal overnight? No, that’s just unrealistic. But each day, when we stay home, we’re one day closer to this being over. It will take time to recover from this, as anything of this scale would, but that’s okay. We’ve got to be smart about this, and if we keep doing what we’re doing, the whole ‘stay home’, ‘social distancing’ thing, the numbers will go down. I’ve had to stop watching the news as it’s the same heartbreaking stories every night, but I do know that the numbers are starting to come down. Maybe very, very slowly, but they are. Please know that if you’ve lost someone to this virus, or you know someone going through it that you cannot be with, I send you my deepest apologies. I’m so very sorry, this should not be happening, and I hope you and your family will be okay. It’s never a bad time to remind someone that they mean the world to you, and that you love them. It’s never a bad time for that. If you’re reading this, I love and appreciate you.
Fourth, take the little things and run with them. Let little things make your day. One of the most important people in my life wrote me a letter. They could have just texted me, but receiving an actual letter in the mail, was very special to me and that made my day. It’s that simple. Don’t keep thinking about these macro situations that used to make you happy that you currently don’t have access to. Instead, remember those little things that you love, like a good old fashioned hand written letter!
Fifth, it’s okay to miss going places. I miss going to so many places! I could be here for hours if I tried to write down every single place I wish I could go to. But I love remembering that these places are still there, they’ll be waiting for me as soon as I’m allowed to be there. I used to love going to Brookfield Place in Manhattan. It’s hard to describe why I love it there, but let me try to paint you a word picture; it felt like I was at the edge of the world taking in every single feature it had to offer me. I would watch the sunset there on occasion, it would bend off the curve of the Earth over the water in the distance. The Statue of Liberty was just far enough that I would have to slightly squint to see it. It was a place that made sense to me and when I couldn’t be anywhere else, that was my escape to go leave reality, and just be. Right now, I can’t do that and I can’t go there. But as soon as this ends, that’s the first place I’m going. I digress, but Brookfield makes me happy, but while that’s on hold, I’ve found things I can still beauty in the everyday and the ordinary. The sunset out my window over the beautiful city, and I can still see Brookfield in the distance. It’s a promise that I will get back and enjoy another Brookfield sunset, the minute that I can.
Lastly, give thanks my dudes. Thank someone when you can. Or even, thank everyone. Thank your team on the frontlines, like doctors and nurses, and any first responders in this pandemic. Thank your delivery workers that still bring you delicious food, and grocery store workers that still work while everyone shops for their household necessities. Thank those around you. Thank people working through this, as they had no choice but to embrace their new reality as well. And honestly, don’t forget to thank yourself. Thank yourself for waking up each day, thank yourself for the victories you’ve accomplished. Maybe the term victory isn’t much, sometimes I celebrate the fact that I changed out of my bedtime sweatpants, and put on my daytime sweatpants but hey! That’s still a win for me! Overall, just be thankful, going back to a few points ago, be thankful for what you do have, that’s a big one. (To all my friends and family on the frontlines of this, still working right now to help others, thank you. Thank you a million times over.)
So many thoughts late at night, it happens. If you find yourself up late and just restless, know that you’re not alone. My first idea is to put on your relaxing playlist and find yourself some tunes to calm you down, and overall, just breathe. You’ll be just fine, I can assure you of that.
As always, I’m gonna leave you with some song lyrics. Music is my thing and I love some good dramatic lyrics to end with…
“Come hold my hand, hold it tight, we’re in a weird time of life. Don’t wreck your brain, it’ll be alright, we’re in a weird time of life”. (Weird! by Yungblud)
Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors Please,
Lex