I am afraid...

Let’s all take a collective breath together. It has been a wild week. Societal anxiety levels have been high, and we are all trying to figure out how to best live our lives amidst uncertainty.

Our futures are unknown, and that can be stressful. Humanity’s response to uncertainty is generally a grasp for control, so when we feel like we lose control, it can cause a lot of stress. This is a scary time, and it’s OK to be afraid. Your fears and worries are normal human responses. You are not failing to be rational or normal because you are nervous. Do not let the rhetoric of others make you feel like you are crazy because you are afraid.

You are human, and it is normal to be afraid.

It is not brave to say that you are not afraid. Courage is exemplified when we face our fears and tell them they are not our master. In this moment, our fear should not control us, but we can certainly allow it to inform us.

We do not know what is to come of this pandemic, but the world is reeling trying to figure out how to respond. Plans are being disrupted, and we are all being inconvenienced in some capacity. I am writing this from Puerto Rico where it was just announced last night that we are on a 24/7 lockdown unless getting groceries or for medical reasons. Disobeying this can lead to fines and jail time. Other countries are acting accordingly, forcing people to stay inside.

I have never seen anything like this, and to be honest, I am afraid. I am afraid that too many people will suffer, and not enough people will care. The systems we have created are not qualified to respond to something like this, and it will either drive us apart or closer together. I am afraid we will choose the former.

Most of us will survive this, although not everyone will or even has. For those of us who survive, we need to critically assess what our futures look like. How will we respond when this moment is but a memory? I am afraid we will continue driving each other apart, finding ways to demonize those we know and marginalize those we don’t.

But my fear will not be my master. I can only speak for myself, but I will take every precaution available to me in this moment to keep myself and others safe. I will prioritize the most vulnerable by not putting their lives at risk with my reckless behavior. I will move forward past this moment with a renewed sense that we must create systems that benefit everyone, not just a few. I will work to create a world that is just and equitable for all, regardless of what you believe, how you look, and who you love.

We must do better. This must bring us together.