I felt like I was “late to the party” and COVID-19 is no party. My wife and I finally had our go around with “the virus”.
Both of us are healthy. We mostly followed the ever-changing “rules” for months but, like many, we continued our lives. My wife was first and I soon followed. If you are expecting a list of symptoms or what we did to combat it don’t waste your time. I am no doctor and I have zero credibility concerning how to physically handle this thing.
I can tell you after months hearing the stories and watching the cases rise, then fall and then rise and watching the “talking heads” discuss the deaths associated with it I had become “immune” to the tragedy of it all.
That all changed once my wife and I got it. I began to develop a new perspective. A friend of mine calls this a “lens change” and it was much-needed.
I know how I felt and it wasn’t good. The mental aspect of the process was what concerned me the most. I had zero desire to do anything. I had no energy. I felt “lazy” and “useless”. Things I normally enjoyed doing, like eating, I could not have cared less about. My taste buds were doing crazy things. Even water tasted funny. In a word I felt depressed. I knew my case was mild.
Immediately I began to imagine millions of people all feeling the same way I felt all at the same time. While most got better, some did not. The mental toll on these individuals and their families, even those who came though it settled in on me.
Suddenly I had an understanding of the fear and worry.
I had finally developed empathy, “the ability to understand and share the feelings of others”, on this issue and as much as it stunk, it was a gift.
Having empathy when it comes to our fellow human beings is vital to our Walk. It is one of many “markers” of our Faith and it is in short supply. The great news is that you can chose empathy over judgement or, over empathy’s direct opposite, apathy.
No matter where you fall on the issues of the day, whether you are “anti-vax” or “pro-mask” if you are lack empathy, you are wrong.
That was my healthy change of perspective that came about in a less than healthy way. Kevin Anderson-General Manager 94 FM The Fish
