Walking in the wilderness of COVID-19

By Dr. Glenn Mollette

Most of America has been addled from our normal lifestyle. Today, we aren’t for sure what normal is any more. COVID-19 has been and is like a walk in a wilderness where we have never ventured before.

While we are wandering through this new wilderness in our lifetime here are some suggestions for you. Use your telephone or facetime every chance you have. Put voices or even faces with voices in your life. Reacquaint yourself with some old friends or make some new friends. We live in a texting, messaging age. Messaging is good but a real voice and even a face are nice when it’s possible.

Clean out your closet, attic, or garage. You’ll feel better if you can declutter some of the stuff you never use. Put it in the trash. Put it on the street with a note that says, “free.” Or, give it away to the first charity that becomes available.

Leave a message at your beauty or barbershop. Tell them to call you as soon as

their available. There will be a line of people making appointments and you don’t want to be delayed two more weeks.

Has your car serviced? Most auto repair places are still open. This is someplace you can go to. Has the oil changed in your car or your wheels balanced?

Pay bills. You probably just got your stimulus check. Now is the time to try to unbury some from utility bills and other bills due. This is not a time to waste any money. If you are still out of work to be careful about how you spend your stimulus.

Be nice to those people you are around. Keep your voice down and calm. Be kind. Be helpful and over considerate. Make a personal commitment to be easy going and go with the flow.

Don’t stress or panic. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. If you feel sick then stay home. If you start having an anxiety attack then pause and breathe. Walk some around the house. Hug your spouse, child, or whoever is in your home or close by.

Find ways to exercise. Keep moving your body during the day. Clean your house. Walk. Do sit-ups or pushups. Walk-in your neighborhood or around your house or apartment building.

Practice your favorite instrument. Listen to the radio. Dance. Sing a little. Card games, Monopoly, checkers, chess are interesting for a change.

Write your congressman or senator. Bend their ear some. Send them an email or a letter.
Write to your President. Someone will look at it. Write to your governor. How do you like how he or she is handling your state?

Work on your faith. Over 200,000 people worldwide have died from Covid-19. Death is real and Covid-19 might not bother you much or it might take you out of this world. Why not get to know God a little better now?

Hang tough as we journey through this wilderness experience.