Pandemic is a worldwide outbreak of a disease. People on our planet are suffering from COVID-19. This post is a prayer to every one of us dealing with physical, emotional, financial and spiritual repercussions of this disease.
We are all in a war. We are in a war against a disease that is killing our family. The people who are losing their lives may or may not be related to each of you by blood, but we are connected by humanity. That’s the reason we cried when all those people died in Wuhan, it is the same reason we cry when people are dying in Italy. It is the same exact reason that makes us sad for the people who are dying in New York.
Our humanity makes us angry when doctors and nurses are getting sick and losing their lives while trying to save our loved ones. We feel cheated and scared for the families of our health care workers. It may feel incredulous to you that this is happening in 2020. Sometimes this feels like we are a part of a Sci-Fi movie in which this mysterious virus is killing people and the entire world is shut down.
This post is a prayer to every one of us dealing with physical, emotional, financial and spiritual repercussions of this disease
We are all grieving and scared. We are scared for the 70 year old who is on the ventilator. We are scared for the 8 year old with asthma. As parents, we are worried how social distancing will affect our children. We worry about their mental well-being. We worry about our neighbors, family and friends. We worry if we are doing everything right for ourselves and for everyone around us.
At the same time, we are grieving the loss of our present and future. We are mourning the lost birthday parties and vacation plans. We are mourning the loss of our jobs. The virus has taken the power of planning from us. We are in a limbo. We are uncertain about our future. The uncertainty scares us. The “what-if” scenarios that you play in our head all day may drive you into a scared and worried frenzy. But we all know history repeats itself. Human race has been through a lot over centuries and we have always been victorious. We are fighters and warriors.
I want you to believe that you are a soldier. You are a vital part in the victory of humanity. Your job is to keep yourself healthy. Your job in this war is to make yourself emotionally strong to rebuild our planet. Your job is to be an essential part of history in defeating the disease. You may not be actively taking care of the sick in a hospital. You may not even be delivering groceries. You may be like me staying at home, Shelter-in-Place, worried, scared and restless. No one has prepared you for this. Your job is to provide a safe haven for yourself.
If you don’t know how to feel and if you don’t feel any gratitude in the chaos we are living in, it’s ok. Forgive yourself for not having all the answers. Allow yourself to grieve. Forgive people around you, for you know resentment breeds anger and hatred.
I am a planner, I feel lost without a concrete plan for the next day, 3 months, 6 months, a year, and you get the picture. I am planning for a new normal.
I am planning to make my dental practice safer, not only for my patients, but also for my team. I am planning for a healthier lifestyle. I am planning to incorporate prayer in my everyday life. This gives peace to me.
If you are unable to take up a new hobby, or learn a new skill, or unable to get through the day without feeling down. Permit yourself to be unproductive. If you are unable to relate to the fact and treat this like an extended vacation, you are not a failure.
But remember, this is not a vacation. We are in a state of emergency not only in your town or your state or your country but most of our WORLD! Let it sink in. Do the best you can. Believe that this too shall pass.
Imagine this, when all this is over, and believe me it will be over, remember at the end of a sci-fi movie when all the zombies are dead, the people start picking up the pieces? I want you to believe that you are that person. You may not feel like the hero with a six pack who single handedly saved the world. You may not even feel like the actress who is doing acrobatics and karate kicks. But those are scripted and this is not.
I pray that you can find strength in yourself to believe that you are strong to weather this storm.
~ Dr. Sirisha Bhandaru
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