By
Cal Orey
Gratitude can be a potent
Rx for strength during a contagion. As I sit in my cabin in the mountains,
there are things I can do to improve my outcome and stay healthy. I remember in the film “One True Thing” Meryl
Streep’s character who was stricken with cancer explained appreciation to her daughter who never seem
satisfied. It’s called gratitude. And we all can muster it up this Thanksgiving
-- and use it as a stay healthy potion every day to help us get through the
dark pandemic tunnel.
The World Is Half
Empty – or is It Half Full?
Sure, I’d rather be
packing for a trip to Fairbanks, Alaska so I can enjoy the northern lights but
it can’t happen (not now) because I would have to quarantine for 14 days up
north. And no Canada for me because the
borders are closed. At home I cannot go swim because the pool is closed. I
cannot go gambling because it doesn’t feel super safe. And I eat at home
because the indoor restaurants are still semi-closed or boarded shut.
But, there are things
to be grateful for (right now), and gratitude reminds me how much I do have,
even while I feel grounded. I am living at Lake Tahoe – a popular tourism hub.
It is off season and the vibrant colors of fall are here. I can savor them
while driving my always happy Australian Shepherd around the Lake. I have not
gotten the virus and I still have work, even though it’s less than more. And my
sibling is now working remotely – not driving Uber. So, I can exhale and not
worry, “Will he infect me or the dog?” My point is, there are always things to
be grateful for (even now), and gratitude reminds us how fortunate our lives
are, even under spooky times with tons of uncertainty.
According to shrinks -- it is possible to stay, well "positive." But, as a seasoned health journalist and intuitive (yep, I predicted the pandemic) I am more of a realist. This, in turn, means have Plan B, stay calm, and the adage, "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" is how we do to survive. In other words, I am a devout follower of Dr. Fauci.
A Time to Be Happy,
Not Worry
As we go through this
journey with ups and downs and controversy paired with during stay at home suggestions to
physical distancing, and wearing masks, it's stressful! Best to breathe, brew a cup of chamomile, and chillax for your heart's sake. Yep, looking on the bright side of what you have and what you don't have is heart-healthy!
I will take you through a few things
you can think about each and every day. In the a.m., my fave time I always brew a cup of Joe, go back to my bed with the Aussie and Siamese and cuddle up. Sweet solitude.
· Thanks for the frontline workers: First, go back in time to March when the
pandemic hit the U.S. You, like me, probably went into panic mode. We rushed to
the grocery store(s) and stocked up on emergency supplies. It was an “ah ha”
moment when toilet paper to flour was AWOL. But we got what we needed,
eventually, even bonded and laughed with our family and social media friends to
get through the chaos. Speaking of stores…
·
Thanks
for our family: You, like me, may
have noticed the bond with family members, whether it is the spouse or sibling,
cat or dog, has gotten stronger – not weaker. Instead of taking our loved ones
for granted we have had the time to realize how much we rely on one another to
get through the hardship of the unknown during uncertain times. This is what
humans do.
·
Thanks
for our faraway friends.
Sure, no huge parties or face-to-face get-togethers like we’re used to for now.
However, a dangling conversation via the Internet with a friend 3,000 miles
away or a phone call to someone in another country who is experiencing what
we’re all going through in this pandemic bonds us. It’s sharing similar
challenges and feelings. It’s real. It’s called connecting on a deeper level.
The Tough Get Tougher -- and Stay Mindful
Also, it helps to go
back in time to past challenges – really big ones. As a boomer these times come
to mind. The Cuban Missile Crisis, the death of John F. Kennedy, the loss of my
mother and father, and hitchhiking across America without a penny and only my
dog, and dumped by a significant other after a decade of loyalty -- and a major 1989 SF Quake. The thing is,
I, and perhaps you, too, have survived rude events. But we keep moving forward. And, it helps to be prepared -- not scared.
Often, we become
complacent and forget what we have and how good we have it. For instance, a year
ago, I realized I could jump on a jet plane and fly out of the country, not
budget my money, and never thought twice about my good health. Nowadays, I
realize I took a lot of what I had for granted. I was blessed to have the
luxury of doing whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it.
During uncertain
times, there are restrictions. So, we gravitate toward others. Each and every
day we realize wherever we are we are grateful to enjoy being able to enjoy the
little things even though the bigger things are not available. Not now. Tough
times help make us tougher and able to see the big picture and what really
matters: Humanity and our planet.
The World Turns with
Gratefulness
Have you noticed
you’ve learned to adapt to a new normal? Sure, we still get our food, eat our
meals, watch movies (at home), and communicate to people who are doing the
same. We sleep, and even work – it’s just a bit different with bumps in the
road as we go through the motions of living in a pandemic. But if we have our
health it makes it a lot easier – and this is something to be thankful for,
right?
So, we may weather a
second wave of the virus. Or not. Worse, another strain of a plague could
happen. But we only can control what we do, day by day. Whether you choose to
believe the virus is a hoax or realize it may be very real – it’s a moot point.
The most important thing to remember is life is forever changing and nothing
stays the same. But as the clock ticks, it’s time to show appreciation for today
– and it will give you hope for a brighter tomorrow. According to Harvard Medical School, staying on the positive track can help you get through tough times.
The bottom line: Thanks
for having frontline workers, family, and friends can indeed help us mentally
and physically feel better and stay stronger during tough times. After all,
we’re all in this pandemic together, for better or worse. And like past
challenges, we will get through this together and be thankful when it is over.
Why? We will be able to embrace the world -- once again -- probably in the
Spring when signs of renewal and bright light arrive.
By Cal Orey
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