Dear, guys – welcome back to Letters From Liz!
During the time I’m writing this, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state is expecting to reopen regions that meet the criteria starting May 15th. With the number of hospitalizations and deaths going down as of April 20th, we are expecting to try to “unpause” the city and state, in hopes that the worst is behind us and that we can all slowly go back to our daily lives with some now special guidelines until there is a vaccine to treat COVID-19.
While that’s great to hear and I believe all of us are excited to at least walk out of our houses without everything being closed and deserted, I believe this time away from society has taught us some valuable lessons about how we treat ourselves, treat each other, and just how much alike our basic wants and needs are in life.
We learned that in times like this, the only thing we could control during theses times is our physical and our mental health. The only thing we can do to make sure we are physically healthy is to continue following the rules mandated by our governors. Mentally, the only thing we could do is take care of ourselves and make sure we are practicing enough self-care to get us through the days. In the beginning, it was difficult for me to find the time and space that was just my own; being in my apartment with the rest of my family eliminated that needed time just for myself. But just like everything else in life, I found ways and adapted to what was happening around me. I found my quiet space with a pair of headphones and my writing. Whatever your quiet space is, embrace it and use it as long as you need to during this time.
We learned that the way we live from this day forward will be a little different than it was prior to this pandemic, and we have to accept it no matter what. If that means masks are now a part of the attire until scientists develop a vaccine for COVID-19, then it’s just something we should practice for the sake of our communities, and those we love most. In comparison to the last traumatic event to hit NYC, 9/11, the numbers of deaths surpassed the ones that we tragically lost 19 years ago, and that major event changed the world as we know it. This virus is changing the world as we know it, and remember it’s for the better.
Most importantly, we learned the importance of support and the relationships we have with the people in our lives. Normally, we’re all always on the go and busy with our lives; sometimes we forget to check on the people we love and care about the most! With this time, it’s so important to keep in touch with those people; we are all going through this tough time and we all need the little extra love and support from one another. Sooner or later, we will all be back seeing each other in person, enjoying each other’s company, and giving each other the biggest hugs we possibly could. That’s the one thing I truly miss about my daily routine with my friends!
We all learned a lot during this quarantine time; whether we used our time to be creative or to take care of ourselves by resting, we all learned that we are stronger than we think we are and that we will all get through this difficult time.
Keep going and keep strong, everyone!
Letters From Liz. 