Hope& Community: 7 Bright Spots from the Covid Lockdown
No one toasting New Year’s Eve could imagine that a global lockdown would become part of our human experience.
For all the troubles and straight up grief, the Covid lockdown has also sparked new ways to connect, deeper connections, and a greater appreciation for one another, including strangers. I’ve had hard time these months, many have lost lives, livelihoods, hit loneliness. Even reports of increased (domestic) violence and (online sexual) abuse of children– Heartbreaking.
But there’s also some brights spots coming from this pandemic..
“..There are heroes among us to remind us that only from fear comes courage, that only from the darkness can we truly feel the light..” -Lois Lane (Justice League film, 2017)
Here are 7 takeaways from the Covid Lockdown I hope give courage or perspective for anything coming our way..
1. People Seeing People.
Passing in the grocery store, expressly making wide turns, trying to keep distance even if only in deference to another.. Social Distancing is literally helping us notice each other. Covid is giving never-before-known opportunities to connect with a stranger, even if it’s just smiling as you actively try to give them space as you pass.
2. We’ve gained a common language.
For the first time in my life, whether it was chatting to anonymous helpdesk, messaging an old friend, or talking to the lady at the checkout, Covid is helping us speak the same language. We’re ALL going through this.
“Are you doing ok?”
“This is crazy, right?”
Once upon a time we all spoke the same language. Pride and ignorance brought a divine break of it, but the intention of unity and collaboration was always there. With the rise of English, google translate, lightning fast social media, not to mention Dance/Music/Art and Love which always speak across borders, we have more tools than ever to understand and connect with one another.
Babel doesn’t stand a chance.
3. We are all One Family.
Teachers became TV celebrities helping kids learn and stay connected. TV celebrities became regular people broadcasting from their living rooms.
People singing out windows, yard parties sparked by beats blasting from balconies, people writing encouraging messages or tic tac toe games on their windows, New Yorkers cheering every night at 7pm for those on the front lines– grocery workers, custodial staff, medical personnel..
Lockdown is showing us how much of a Human Family we are.
Covid is another humbling reminder, like mosquito or tick bites, that a rich politician is as vulnerable as a local bus driver. We all share in this humanity, and what happens to one of us, happens to all of us..
I recently stubbed my toe, massively. I literally dropped to the floor with pain. You know it? Littlest toe–you never really paid attention– turning purple before your eyes. Your entire being is in pain.
‘Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another..’ (verse)
Nothing to see here… But we’re all starting to see..
isn’t it ironic that an invisible virus is exposing breaches in entire social and health care systems?
5. When the world is in lockdown, how pointless do personal conflicts and Wars seem?
In American culture there’s a running joke: families fight when they get together for the holidays. But think of it – even in a single household, group or regular gathering you can get fed-up, rubbed the wrong way, tire of repeating yourself, take someone for granted, become disinterested, looking at a phone instead of a persons’ face..
Form Voltron! 😉
Keep your guard for complacency. What really matters in this life?
6. There is healing in Gathering–music, art, dancing, collaboration, community, coffee..
This is one of my all time favorite clips. A NYC Subway underground, probably 5pm/rush hour, people from all backgrounds, cultures, and life stations jamming. Sadness and depression don’t stand a chance. And No Exclusion–no one is busy with a person’s background, back story, education, hairstyle, clothing style, love choice..
Having our gatherings pulled out from under us has been PAINFUL, but I’ll be damned if we haven’t gained amazing appreciation and understanding for how Powerful, Dynamic and Beyond Dimension they are.
When we gather across our diversity, when we look Vertical in wonder instead of Horizontal in judgement- how many problems will disappear? (tweet)
We Are Just People.
7. Birthing the Wake Up Calls.
Covid and the Lockdown have affected EVERYONE. But from this space of deeper Human connectivity is a wave of global, no longer local awareness and action. The horrors that have been a part of American existence are no longer an American secret. And awareness of police and sentencing injustice or bias is rising in other Nations too.
Will we ever feel this free again? Will laws lock us, or more viruses or mutations arise? No matter what comes our way, Covid has been showing us this:
We are all Human.
We are One Family.
Even if isolated
We’ll find ways to Connect,
To Love,
To Fight,
To Survive. ❤
Breakdance class, Social-Distant solutions..
Whatever happens, whatever comes, keep hope. There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind… (C.S. Lewis) ❤
Hey, I’m Jasmine, sending extra love & a virtual coffee in these strange yet powerful times. What has lockdown been teaching you? Post a comment below and connect! ❤
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Environmental crisis, wars, deep social unrest, the gap between rich and poor increasing, famine, and dare I now say, pestilence.. Meanwhile political leaders seem more interested in personal gain than public good and it all reads like a bad dream or blockbuster. But also strangely like a darn biblical playbook. Now wait a second, I know seriously bad sh*t has happened “in the name of God” or by so-called “Christians.” Many want nothing to do with it- I’ve been there. But what if there is a God? What if, like so many of us, *He’s been misunderstood and misrepresented? Regardless of one’s beliefs, heaps of what we see happening in the world is literally written in that old book. “Ready for Crazy: Pocket Guide to the End of the World” is a relevant, creative, and slightly rebellious way to explore current events against 16 bible prophecies. Pop-culture refs from Harry Potter to The Avengers, a checklist, tool guide, reflection points for social media sharing & a “WTFGOD” section pondering aspects of God/Love/The Universe, help make this work accessible to anyone and everyone.
Photo Credits: Superman “Hope Never Dies” – Warner Brothers / Justice League 2017) -Shadows of people – Tyson Dudley via Unsplash -Voltron: Legendary Defender still – Cartoon Series on Netflix EXCELLENT!) -Trevor Noah – The DailySOCIALDISTANCING Show -The BEst Gift is You by Dakota Corbin via Unsplash -Crowd: Obama’s 2009 Inaguration via Pablo Manriquez -Life is Short Manasvita via Unsplash -Breakdance outside, On The One/Area 51 Dance School, photo by @JasNotes
🖤inFormation 