03/31/2020
According to the numbers reported by the CDC this morning, the deaths from the coronavirus in the United States alone have surpassed the number of lives lost on 9/11. This is totally heartbreaking. It's such a tremendous tragedy for our country and our world. We lost 2,977 on 9/11. We’ve lost 3,164 to the virus.
No, we did not lose these precious lives on one horrid morning; however, we have lost them in a matter of a flurry of days. One by one families are waking up to a nightmare. Every life, every number, represents heartbreak and loss.
As our country only begins to mourn the loss of life we have collectively experienced, and as we battle the enemy that is attacking our homeland (and our world), I am reminded of life in the days after 9/11.
The helpers are rushing into the wreckage to render aid. Some of the helpers look the same this time, but many have been added to their number. The first responders. The medical community. The supply lines. The teachers. The grocers. The mental health community. The economists. The non-profits. The churches. The private companies. The corporations. The military. The list could continue on and on. Helpers everywhere are triaging, working long hours, losing sleep, getting creative, risking their own lives, connecting in new ways, reaching out, and giving. They are giving like never before.
The community is a family. People are connecting on one premise and one premise alone—humanity. Social distancing and sheltering in place have become a way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable in the community. Going to the grocery store or pharmacy is different right now as strangers make eye contact and tend to share a common and predictable sense of camaraderie. The stranger has become our brother or sister, our mother or father, our friend. I am saddened because as the numbers rise, I have noticed a familiar sense of anxiety and grief behind the eyes of my newfound family.
Our relationships are once again taking priority. The busyness of life has been drowned out by an undeniable awareness of the need we have for the people we hold dear in our lives. Our family members, our close friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, our church family—all of these relationships and interactions that often happen without much effort now take some ingenuity and determination to create space to connect. Our closest relationships seem even more cherished in the light of great loss. Parents are hugging their children a little tighter and wondering what the world will look like for them in the coming days, weeks, and months. Children, especially adult children, are genuinely concerned for the health and well-being of their own parents and grandparents.
There is a sense of disbelief over what is happening. It seems inconceivable to see so many lives lost so quickly—this brings about uncertainty and disbelief in a lot of us. We find ourselves asking, “Is this really happening?” It’s hard for our minds to process how this personally will affect us if it hasn’t yet, but with the numbers rising I am convinced each of us will find ourselves a part of this unfolding story in one way or another. But, until we lose something or someone dear to us, it can be easy to disconnect from the reality others are living. We can turn off the news if we haven’t been affected yet, but those who have been affected cannot.
Here’s what I know and what I am holding onto. I know tragedy has a unique way of drawing communities together, and I am praying that as we walk through the coming days, weeks, and months we will be fortified as people who battle together.
I pray that we will support the helpers in whatever ways we can. I pray that we will lean into our communities like never before—it would be very easy to disconnect, but what we need now is relationship and community. I pray that we will deeply connect with our most meaningful relationships. I pray that we will find empathy for those affected directly or indirectly by this virus even when we personally may be unscathed.
We are going to need a whole lot of one another. I pray we are all up for the challenge.
If you are feeling overwhelmed. If you are grieving. If you need help working through your emotions during this time, you don't have to do it alone. Reach out to a trusted friend, a pastor, your family. Or reach out to connect with a therapist to help you process how you are feeling. These are times when we need each other the most.
**The information shared here is for psychoeducational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual mental health care. Please seek help from a licensed professional if you need individualized mental health care. If you feel unsafe: Call your local mental health emergency hotline, 911, your physician, or go to your local emergency room.**
