Wow, have things changed…like everything. Life looks very different from last Christmas. For example, people wear masks, pedestrians step off the sidewalk to avoid me when I run, the majority of businesses have closed, and emptiness fills the streets. It’s. Totally. Crazy. While anxiety and worry are functioning at the highest level, one has to think, “Will we survive?”
Looking Back
I started thinking about this after I had a wake-up call in the form of a “this time last year” memory reminder from Facebook going back to 2018 (nothing is ever truly gone from the internet). That was a big year for me. In 2016, I committed to running a 100-mile ultramarathon in 2018. I hired a coach, did some pre-training work, and then trained for one year.
In other words, it was really tough. And, not just the race.
I practiced running at night. Bigger weekends consisted of 25 miles on Friday and 18 miles on Saturday. I bought Epsom salt to soak in (a total miracle worker for pain) by the truckload (literally, I had a hookup at Sam’s Club). I downloaded books because I’d listened to my music so many times.
But, I got through.
I remember going to PA (physician assistant) school where we took 23 credit hours a term, and I had a one hour commute in the morning and sometimes a two to three-hour commute home with the Chicago traffic. Some weeks, we had exams every other day. It was grueling.
But, I made it through.
I remember my first open water swim which caused a panic attack like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I couldn’t breathe and my heart pounded out of my chest. It felt like I would die. I couldn’t swim a normal stroke because my breath came so rapidly.
But, I got through.
Through.
What a word…kind of like though and thought but it carries a whole different weight.
Through.
Will We Survive
I’ve written about working in a hospital during all this, the symptoms of coronavirus, and how to maximize your days… and all of that is needed and good.
But, let’s talk about the symptoms of humanity.
World War I and II
The Civil War
9/11
The Revolutionary War
Perseverance. Endurance. Bravery. Loyalty. Providing aid. Lifting up justice. Defending our people.
This is who we are. So, will we survive? Yes. We will survive this period of history defined by words like quarantine, pandemic, and social distancing (which wasn’t even a thing last December) like we have made it through every awful, stressful, back-breaking period of time that we’ve been up against.
How?
Through.
We’ll get through this. So, please remember kindness, gentleness, understanding, acceptance, and love in all this…
Through all this.
Through.
Humanity has never given up since its inception. We won’t now either.
When lying in bed unsure of what comes next and how we’ll reach the finish line, remember who we are.
We’ll make it through.
Love,
K.
Author of Ten Iron Principles, and Contributor in The Power to Make a Difference
Wow – thank you so much.