by Claire Pontefract

the deep pit of pandemic sadness

I think we can all agree, COVID-19 is an extremely stressful situation that we wish we could wake up from and be glad it was just a bad dream.

Before I deleted the CBC app, (for causing me nothing but anxiety), it became apart of my morning routine to check my phone as soon as I woke up to see the latest ‘Breaking News’.

I have heard numerous stories of how this pandemic has impacted peoples lives, and it’s easy to get sucked into the deep pit of pandemic sadness.

My school has been closed indefinitely, I’ve been laid off from my part-time job, my school soccer season has been cancelled, and I can’t see my friends. At first, I found it really hard to adjust to these big changes. As someone with generalized anxiety disorder, structure in my day with many different outlets is crucial. With the absence of my every-day activities and all the sadness in the world, I fell into the deep pit of pandemic sadness.

But one thing has really helped me gather myself up, and climb out of the pit.

It’s amazing how the world comes together when we need each other. If you haven’t already seen the videos of Italians singing together from their balconies, I highly recommend watching them. The beauty of the community coming together, and the gorgeous singing as well, truly made me smile.

In my town, Oak bay, a community FaceBook group has gotten people to put up a different picture in their window’s each day, for little kids to spot on their family walks. On St. Patricks Day, shamrocks filled the windows of our community.

Parts of Vancouver have started a nightly cheer and applause at 7pm for healthcare workers. The world is coming together to support each other through this tough time, and I believe that’s what will get us through this.

I find it really easy to get sucked into the negativity of the world, it’s pretty easy as it’s almost everywhere right now. This year especially, has tested the worlds ability to support each other. And I think we are learning how to be amazing at that.

On my last day of school before it closed, in every class my teachers only really talked about COVID-19. It was informative, but it made me really scared and sad. In my last period, my teacher stood up and said us that we all looked like we could use a smile, and we watched puppy and kitten videos for the rest of the class.

It’s important to balance the negativity and positivity. If you feel yourself getting sucked up into the scary statistics and articles, watch videos of people singing together in quarantine, cheering on health care workers or even videos of puppies and kittens cuddling.

Remember that the rest of the world feels the way you do, and we are all in this together. We all might be miserable, scared and anxious, but we are one big community, that is here to support one another.

 

11 thoughts on “the deep pit of pandemic sadness”

  1. Dear Claire

    Thank you very much for including me in your lovely script below. I am in Ontario at Pami and Daniel’s ranch, and will be here until after Easter.

    I am very grateful to ponder your kind words of wisdom and community love and sharing at this dismal time in history. You have reminded me that we have a choice , and can choose shared love and enlightened faith in tomorrow, knowing it is not a blind faith, but a deep connection, also knowing we will be there and make it right for and with those we love.

    I look very forward to seeing you and the rest of my wonderful Pontrefact family when I return after Easter ( with your lovely necklace).

    In the meantime, please give my fondest love to all of your wonderful family.

    Yours with great fondness and deepest love,

    Frances

    >

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  2. Dearest Claire,

    Your words always capture my attention and provoke my thought processes.

    With all of the sad news being aired and shared, the high numbers showing up on our screens, the number of people wanting so badly to return to their respective countries, the financial woes of many, the stress load experienced by many, the panic pit draws us in and drags us down.

    Even though it’s hard to focus on the positive when fear and worry consume us, there is a lot of positive behaviour coming out of this. Solidarity is taking its rightful place in our chaotic world, and it feels good. People are reaching out to one another, families are reconnecting and enjoying quality time together, people are mindful of each other’s plight, people are singing together while maintaining social distancing, etc. All levels of governments are actually talking and listening to each other.

    And then there are thousands upon thousands of devoted persons on the frontlines working long hours to make things right again : doctors, nurses, caregivers, paramedics, researchers, truckers, politicians to name but a few.

    All of this gives me hope, and I am choosing to fight the panic by staying focussed on the positive. Not always easy, but definitely possible especially when I turn off the news.

    Thank you, Claire, for sharing your concerns and your encouragement! Let us stay focussed and positive together as this too shall pass.

    Hugs!

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  3. Hi Claire Greetings from the UK! We’re now in official lockdown except for essential food shopping. I agree with you that a structure for the day is really important. It helps maintain positivity and reduces anxiety. I’ve also discoverd that limiting myself to one news broadcast each day really works and totally ignoring the narcissistic madness that is Trump has really helped my blood pressure no end. Also, thank god for Youtube pilates, yoga and general fitness progs. As I can’t go to the gym anymore, they have been a lifesaver for me. My biceps are going to look super impressive in the next few weeks. I’m trying to look on this time not as a Lockdown but as a Retreat. Semantics, I know, but much less depressing. An opportunity to challenge oneself, learn new things and read loads of books! If you can combine that with cheering neighbours and friends with a phone call or delivering food and medicines (I’ve joined the Royal Voluntary Service), then we’ll get through this and emerge from this as a more caring society which can pull together in difficulat times. Love to all, Jane x

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  4. My lovely girl, your post made me smile because each day we have talked about the importance of trying to find opportunity in these shadows and making the best of it somehow. Not easy, I know! You are my sunshine and I love reading your posts xo

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  5. Well said Claire – another great example of words of wisdom coming from many sources – definitely wise beyond your years – we each own making sure we balance our positive news with the many opportunities for the negative – puppies & kittens are never a bad choice. Thanks for the reminder. Safe & healthy wishes to you & your family.

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  6. Reading this from the UK as I have my morning coffee as I saw your Dad’s tweet in my stream. Writing is a wonderful outlet and I hope you can find comfort from this. I appreciated reading your post this cold Sunday morning. Take care.

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