It's Okay Not to Be Okay

When we were all celebrating the start of 2020 back in January, I'm sure no one ever dreamed that three months later we'd be living through a coronavirus pandemic and life as we know it would be put on hold.  We're experiencing a new normal--many of us (including your perch librarian) are working from home, kids and college students are out of school dealing with online learning, we're wearing masks and gloves outside of the home, restaurants are open only for takeout, hair salons and so many other services are temporarily closed...the list of closures and restrictions goes on.

Maybe some of us or people we know have gotten COVID-19 or have died of it.  One of my relatives was hospitalized for several days due to coronavirus-related pneumonia (thankfully, she recovered); a family friend was the first person to die of the virus in Spokane.  To anyone suffering with COVID-19, I wish you the best for a speedy and full recovery.  To anyone who has lost someone to it, I offer my sincere condolences.

I don't have to tell you that this is a scary time for all of us, young and old.  We don't know what's going to happen; we don't know when this roller coaster ride we unwillingly were put on is going to end.  I'm not going to lie--I've had moments when I broke down and cried about what's happening.  According to the experts, this is to be expected because we're not only dealing with the unknown but we're also dealing with grief for the loss of our former lives, the way things used to be before the pandemic. 

This is the time to be kind to ourselves.  It's okay not to be okay now.  Don't beat yourself up for not being your usual self or being on top of your game.  Don't reprimand your kids for having a tough time adjusting to online learning.  This pandemic has put us all into survival mode, and our best at this time won't be the same as our best under normal circumstances.  And that's alright.  The roller coaster will slow down and stop eventually.  We just don't know when.  In the meantime, stay healthy and be safe.  We will get through this, one day at a time.

Wishing you good health and calming vibes from the perch.