| …Eventually.
Some of us might even die from this latest run of the flu, which happens each year, to one degree or another- I know, I know…
THIS IS THE BIG ONE.
If you’re old, or infirm, or have a compromised immune system, or you’re just plain unlucky- it might get you.
You might also die from heart disease, which kills hundreds of thousands of people each year-
but no one seems to be running to the stores to unload all the things from their cart that could help them avoid that one.
You might get into a traffic accident and die tomorrow, another one of the world’s most common mass-murderers.
I’m not writing this to make fun of anyone or belittle anyone’s response to this sickness…
Maybe just to make fun of all of us, though- a little bit.
We could probably use the laugh.
I’ve been assaulted non-stop over the last few weeks with relentless gloom and doom regarding the virus, and I’m at a point where I can only respond, like the famous Russian in Rocky IV-
“If he dies, he dies.”
There is a certain freedom in a healthy dash of fatalism- I’m not saying give up, or stop taking sensible health precautions.
I’m just saying, stop sharing bad news like you’re getting a dopamine kick from it.
The adrenaline, shock, fear, paranoia– the world has enough of that right now.
It could use a little more stiff upper lip.
A little more courage, and friendly words of encouragement.
It could use those of us who claim to be improving ourselves and building our own communities on a daily basis being confident in that, and knowing that, as my friend Greg says:
“even if it isn’t fine- it’s fine.”
There’s little you can do to have control over global events like this.
If you die, you die. (Although statistically, it is HIGHLY unlikely you will die from this.)
But you can control your reaction to these events.
How you choose to approach them- not just that, but who you choose to be while they are occurring.
Do you want to be the alarmist? The fear monger? The panicky bad-news parrot?
I’d rather be calm and collected, and let my people know that no matter what happens- it’s cool.
They can count on me, and-
even if it’s not fine…
It’s fine.
Keep your powder dry and keep your cool, y’all.
We’ll get through this like always.
I’m pulling for ya.
– Paul |
