Hey there!
It’s been only 18 days ago that the WHO declared the Coronavirus COVID-19 a pandemic, and my life has been turned upside down. I’m guessing yours too.
The threat that could have stayed an isolated case, remaining in a safe distance has made it to every part of our known world and it is here and it is real.
The number of articles, broadcasts, social posts is countless — for a reason. We are human, we are scared, we are concerned, we are worried about our health, our lives, our future. We seek information and we want to share what we know and what we feel. We connect with others at other parts of the world to make sure they are okay, they are holding up — and we are assessing our own situation in light of others’ stories.
This reality is unusual, new and devastating.
We need time, more information and a lot of persistence to deal with it, to get through it, to make it through the other side relatively unscathed.
Everyone is coping with this new situation in their own way.
This situation we are facing now is hands down the most disruptive thing that has ever happened throughout my entire life. And I am not alone with this — countless people from countries that never saw famine, war or other viruses will have this very occasion as the single most disturbing thing that happens on a global scale during their lifetime.
It is only natural that we talk about it, discuss it, write about.
To be honest, the past two weeks, since our borders were closed in Hungary from external traffic of high-risk countries (and the list is increasing by the minute) and the schools closed down and now a lockdown in place from tomorrow — the pandemic situation has been the only thing on my mind.
I’d like to believe that I am ‘calm and concerned’ and I am not contributing to increasing any panic — regardless of who I am talking to, — but I won’t deny it, there is nothing else on my mind. I am thinking about how to manage my work and what changes will we need to face, how the economic shift will disrupt our business. I am thinking how and when will it affect my own finances if it gets to that. I am thinking about how to manage my kids’ homeschooling and how to establish a routine that will keep us content and sane. I am thinking of how my higher-risk loved ones will be doing during these difficult times. And I am thinking what happens if we lose someone close to us — which today seems out of reach, but the uncertainty is so high that I can’t vouch for tomorrow.
Every thought that enters my mind is somewhat related — even if I am not in panic-mode, just planning mode. I can’t afford to just go with the flow, because I have three kids to keep safe, healthy and sane on top of keeping myself safe, healthy and sane.
Is there anything else worth talking about? Is there any topic that is important enough to discuss that is not related to the current situation? Can we just go on with the themes and topics, pretending that the reality around us is not creeping inside our thoughts and eventually our words?
For me — and from what I have learnt from the writing community, for many others as well — writing is a form of therapy, self-expression, a tool to process our thoughts and feelings. Writing is also a place where you can hide and where you are safe.
My safe space is invaded by thoughts of an invisible enemy — that is affecting our lives bigtime. Of course, my words are affected too.
This is a new life here. It is getting started under our very eyes. We are learning a new world — and it is difficult. It is always easy to stick with something familiar, but here, we don’t have the luxury of deciding to go back.
We are pushed out of our comfort zones and we do what we are best at — we adapt.
They say that life is happening outside your comfort zone and while previously stepping out of comfort zones were reserved for the select few conscious enough about their own personal growth, now we are all forced to revaluate and reassess our ways of living.
I usually write about life. Now the pandemic is our life. What else is there to write about?
I was beating myself up for not writing anything for days — because in the first days all I could think about was the panic inside me, growing by the minute. It came and went, the chaos, the uncertainty, the new daily routine, the things that I started to miss even if before I didn’t care about it.
How do I write about anything when everything has already been said and written? Is there any aspect that hasn’t yet been discussed and dissected by thousands of better writers, journalists and experts.
Who am I here to add anything?
I wrote a few things since I last sent out this email.
Some are about the pandemic. This is where my mind goes, I can’t promise you a much-needed distraction, not yet.
If You Can’t Go Outside, Go Inside - a bit of zen during the lockdown times
When Reality Becomes Too Unreal to Believe It - my musings about the situation in Hungary
Let’s Send Grandma Home During the Pandemic - about how older people need to stay home as well
How to Write Original, Novel and Unique Stories During the Pandemic - about writing something new
Why I’m Putting Makeup On Every Day During a Lockdown - and an unusual aspect of the lockdown, a coping mechanism from me
And I also started a new project - working on a book - while stuck at home. I don’t know what will come to it, but it’s very exciting. I will tell you about it, because if it ever becomes a book I will need your support, for sure.
As always, the above links are friendlinks which will let you access them for free, without being a paying member. You can clap up to 50 for each article - for which I’d be grateful if you did.
Thanks for still being here. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to reply to this email, and let me know how you are feeling, what your thoughts are. I promise to reply.
Love,
Zita
Ps.: if you want to support me, please buy me a virtual coffee ($3), on my ko-fi page.
We all have to face our painful moments alone, or else we will try to avoid them.
Write about how you are enduring the pain, hoping to have a new growth soon...