Are you privileged? As you look around you and think about your situation you might think "no".In this time of "pausing" from our normal life we have some time the contemplate just who we are and what we have. And we may just discover that we really are privileged. No, not to the point where we could, as someone just did, throw down over $900,000.00 for Paul McCartney's scrawled lyrics for "Hey Jude". But for a lot of us the basic necessities of life were not put in jeopardy by the corona virus.
In comparison to most of the world we are fortunate. We have a reliable, safe place in which to eat, sleep, and "shelter". We have reliable sources of food - and if we are nervous about going food shopping we can order in, have our groceries delivered to our homes and all we have to do is make sure the groceries get delivered to the right place, hands free.
Many of us have jobs that allow us to work at home, so as to avoid physical contact with coworkers in the office or commuters on the bus. For most of the past 20 years I worked from home at least part of my workweek. My adjustment for the virus was that I went from 3 days to the full week at home.
My job is in the "essential" status, Medicaid insurance, where the digital rules and business is expected to substantially increase. Especially when more people face unemployment and the loss of their work sponsored healthcare. And we live in a safe community with police, fire, and medical help is nearby. I even have a safe, uncrowded place to walk and commune with nature to safeguard my sanity. And with my dear wife of over 25 years I am not alone.
But not everyone has that. Many work in industries, like manufacturing for example, where even if the company was open to remote work, the nature of the work prevents that. Many work in areas like retail, food service, and small business where not only is the work unable to be done at home, the jobs are not considered essential and businesses are closed and many unemployed. Think about job hunting in a social distancing world.
And still many are cut off from the digital world, so even keeping in touch with others are limited.And many are alone, truly isolated.And that is just here in the US. In the global arena it is even worse.
I say this not to make anyone feel guilty. I don't feel bad for having the advantages I do. But it is important first of all to put it in perspective. It could be much worse - which isn't always comforting, but it is important to remember - even in normal times. I say it to remind us to be grateful everyday, in good times and bad. And to remember everyday that there are many out there who do not have those same privileges. Who instead have vulnerabilities and strong challenges.
Remember those who are the front lines of "battle" with the virus , fighting for peoples lives.The doctors, the nurses, the firefighters and police, who don't have the option of "sheltering".Remember those who are in essential jobs who must go out, and who can't maintain the "6-foot"
rule, who are daily exposed and still go out.
From your position of privilege try to reach out to help in any way you can. Donate if you can to agencies providing help and supplies. Reach out to anyone you know who is alone - I know they would appreciate love in words. And when you do venture out a wave or a smile can travel beyond 6 feet. It is small, but I know it lifts my spirits when I walk.
Not guilt, but gratitude is my aim. And I am grateful I can write and share to do my small part to encourage us to press on through these challenging days, hopeful to see the light at the end of this particular tunnel. We had days and years before the virus came - we will have days and years after it passes on. And it will. But gratitude should survive and prosper.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Saturday, April 4, 2020
adaptation in the time of corona virus
The only thing constant is change, we are told. And in the time of corona virus, that is certainly true.
We are sheltering in place, working from home, or if we go out it is with gloves and masks on. We learn new ditties to hum while we are washing out hands. Like "not touching something with a 10 foot pole," we say hello to anyone from 6 feet away. We know the terms "social distancing", "self isolating" , "flatten the curve", and "ventilators". We avoid gatherings of 10 or more, and connect in the virtual world of Zoom.
Some people are afraid of change, resistant to it, and feel their world is falling apart. They mistake personal physical isolation for relational isolation. But the relationships can continue and must keep up, just adjusted for a change of method. We can and should still continue to maintain those friendships across the miles and the digital divide by email, phone call, text, other forms of social media. Just because we can't physically be together doesn't mean we have to wall ourselves apart.
And in the midst of dealing with communication in new and different ways we can discover new things in the world. Since the Toastmaster world has turned to digital to maintain relationships we have learned about not just how we can maintain our clubs, but also new connections and new possibilities for enhancing our communications. We can share visually and audibly with people hundreds and thousands of miles away. In recent meetings and contests I have been a part of we have connected with folks across the country and around the world , South Korea and India to name a couple examples.
I am doing a contest in a couple weeks where I have recruited people who might have previously had to consider travel to come to the contest site, but now only have to turn on their computer from home to be a part. Recruiting help is easier. And we can involve other districts in the judging and add to the diversity of evaluations. We had as a club a member who came down with the virus and would have not been able to join us for a meeting if not for our new Zoom set up.
People have experimented with virtual backgrounds, presentations without having to lug a laptop and projector to meetings, and even write "notes" (in chat) of evaluation without worrying about legibility (mine especialy).
I guess what I am driving at is rather than focusing on what we don't have, on the complications.
We should focus on treasuring what we have, and what opportunities for growth that are there.
There are so many things we still can do, and places we can go. Today for me it was a "two-bunny walk"...more about that later.
We are sheltering in place, working from home, or if we go out it is with gloves and masks on. We learn new ditties to hum while we are washing out hands. Like "not touching something with a 10 foot pole," we say hello to anyone from 6 feet away. We know the terms "social distancing", "self isolating" , "flatten the curve", and "ventilators". We avoid gatherings of 10 or more, and connect in the virtual world of Zoom.
Some people are afraid of change, resistant to it, and feel their world is falling apart. They mistake personal physical isolation for relational isolation. But the relationships can continue and must keep up, just adjusted for a change of method. We can and should still continue to maintain those friendships across the miles and the digital divide by email, phone call, text, other forms of social media. Just because we can't physically be together doesn't mean we have to wall ourselves apart.
And in the midst of dealing with communication in new and different ways we can discover new things in the world. Since the Toastmaster world has turned to digital to maintain relationships we have learned about not just how we can maintain our clubs, but also new connections and new possibilities for enhancing our communications. We can share visually and audibly with people hundreds and thousands of miles away. In recent meetings and contests I have been a part of we have connected with folks across the country and around the world , South Korea and India to name a couple examples.
I am doing a contest in a couple weeks where I have recruited people who might have previously had to consider travel to come to the contest site, but now only have to turn on their computer from home to be a part. Recruiting help is easier. And we can involve other districts in the judging and add to the diversity of evaluations. We had as a club a member who came down with the virus and would have not been able to join us for a meeting if not for our new Zoom set up.
People have experimented with virtual backgrounds, presentations without having to lug a laptop and projector to meetings, and even write "notes" (in chat) of evaluation without worrying about legibility (mine especialy).
I guess what I am driving at is rather than focusing on what we don't have, on the complications.
We should focus on treasuring what we have, and what opportunities for growth that are there.
There are so many things we still can do, and places we can go. Today for me it was a "two-bunny walk"...more about that later.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Are you going stir crazy? Or feeling some cabin fever coming on? You might just be an extrovert.
During this time of "sheltering in place at home" a lot of people may be feeling a serious lack of energy, not because of the virus, but because they are cut off from their usual source of energy - people, especially crowds which help them thrive. For us introverts silence and calm can help us recharge and think and we feed off of it, but to an extrovert silence is a drain. So it is essential to flip the usual "social distancing" and emphasize "distant socialization", be sure to reach out to others and make the connections even when those connections are from a distance - phone, text, email, online video. Those are safe ways to communicate and make sure we are not isolated , even when we are.
Even for introvert, who love the silence and calmness, too much of a good thing can be bad.
We need people. I make a point of getting out of the house for daily walks.. My usual companions are the local ducks, geese, crows, robins, the occasional squirrel and wild bunnies. Aside from my constant companion, my best friend, my wife, I don't really see much besides runners and dog walkers. But I have another source of communication - my Toastmasters club. We hold our club meetings online through Zoom.
And we are not alone. Toastmasters International has strongly encouraged clubs around the country and around the world to not hold in person meetings, but meet online. We are having speech contests online, and we will hold our Spring Conference online, quite an undertaking. We have embraced the technology and have developed new skills. These present numerous opportunities for safe social interactions. We have fun, much laughter, and community building as we come together.
It is vital for both introverts and extroverts to keep socializing till we are again able to add physical interactions.
During this time of "sheltering in place at home" a lot of people may be feeling a serious lack of energy, not because of the virus, but because they are cut off from their usual source of energy - people, especially crowds which help them thrive. For us introverts silence and calm can help us recharge and think and we feed off of it, but to an extrovert silence is a drain. So it is essential to flip the usual "social distancing" and emphasize "distant socialization", be sure to reach out to others and make the connections even when those connections are from a distance - phone, text, email, online video. Those are safe ways to communicate and make sure we are not isolated , even when we are.
Even for introvert, who love the silence and calmness, too much of a good thing can be bad.
We need people. I make a point of getting out of the house for daily walks.. My usual companions are the local ducks, geese, crows, robins, the occasional squirrel and wild bunnies. Aside from my constant companion, my best friend, my wife, I don't really see much besides runners and dog walkers. But I have another source of communication - my Toastmasters club. We hold our club meetings online through Zoom.
And we are not alone. Toastmasters International has strongly encouraged clubs around the country and around the world to not hold in person meetings, but meet online. We are having speech contests online, and we will hold our Spring Conference online, quite an undertaking. We have embraced the technology and have developed new skills. These present numerous opportunities for safe social interactions. We have fun, much laughter, and community building as we come together.
It is vital for both introverts and extroverts to keep socializing till we are again able to add physical interactions.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Mix of values - moral and practical
Values aren't limited to moral choices, they also involve practicality, strategy, how best to do what we do everyday. It's like a river and it's banks. The river flows and we make sure that it is not impeded or blocked and it can create power - hydroelectric power is clean and abundant But we also use dams not just for energy creation but also for flood control. If a river overruns its banks you have flooding which helps no one. We have to have the free flowing with the guiding of the banks for the best result.
In the same way we need the practical values, efficiency and such, along with the control of the moral values that keep us from "flooding" so to speak. A recent presidential candidate exemplified this by listing a set of values that he chose for his campaign - called the "rules of the road". Values that he lived by and wanted his supporters and volunteers to follow. They were a mix of the practical and moral.
The practical ones I see as: Teamwork, Boldness, Substance, Discipline, Excellence.
The more moral values I see as : Respect, Belonging, Truth, Responsibility, Joy.
These are intertwined and support each other, and both are necessary for life.
Think about how you view life and what values are important to you.
In the same way we need the practical values, efficiency and such, along with the control of the moral values that keep us from "flooding" so to speak. A recent presidential candidate exemplified this by listing a set of values that he chose for his campaign - called the "rules of the road". Values that he lived by and wanted his supporters and volunteers to follow. They were a mix of the practical and moral.
The practical ones I see as: Teamwork, Boldness, Substance, Discipline, Excellence.
The more moral values I see as : Respect, Belonging, Truth, Responsibility, Joy.
These are intertwined and support each other, and both are necessary for life.
Think about how you view life and what values are important to you.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
You are not alone
Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence...what are these? They are the core values of Toastmasters, a decades old organization that I am proud to be a part of. These values help our mission of helping people grow in their speaking and leadership skills, by ensuring each meeting is a safe place where people can speak up, share their dreams and their struggles and continue to grow. In the midst of this current crisis clubs have adapted to the technology of distance socializing and continue strong with clubs and contests and in May the Spring conference, all held online. Our bond is greater than our technological struggles and these core values are key - RISE!
Stories and laughter, support and hope, are our shared experience.
I would invite you to check out TM , go to the International site to find a club near you.
https://www.toastmasters.org/
But whatever you do, remember to hold fast to your values and don't despair, you are not alone
Stories and laughter, support and hope, are our shared experience.
I would invite you to check out TM , go to the International site to find a club near you.
https://www.toastmasters.org/
But whatever you do, remember to hold fast to your values and don't despair, you are not alone
Sunday, March 29, 2020
music to make it through these days
Music makes everything better, it seems. When I ran it gave me energy and helped me keep running.
When I work it keeps me company. When I am sad it gives me hope. And when I am happy it helps me celebrate. Out of the blue songs will come into my mind with memories. Sometimes the most annoying songs get stuck in my brain (like the Disneyland theme :( )
But in these days of the virus it can help us cope. There have been several tunes/ditties that have been suggested to time handwashing. The people of Italy are singing to each other across the alleys when they couldn't go out in public. And the other day when I went shopping at a local fruit market I was greeted with Alice Cooper's "School's Out for Summer" and left to the strains of "The Sounds of Silence" (Seattle silence).
Music touches the soul, and is often a reflection of it. It also serves to speak for us, and to us, when we can't seem to speak the words. It can calm us, energize us, give us hope. We will get through this awful time and music can lead the way. Don't forget to sing, let it envelope you.
When I work it keeps me company. When I am sad it gives me hope. And when I am happy it helps me celebrate. Out of the blue songs will come into my mind with memories. Sometimes the most annoying songs get stuck in my brain (like the Disneyland theme :( )
But in these days of the virus it can help us cope. There have been several tunes/ditties that have been suggested to time handwashing. The people of Italy are singing to each other across the alleys when they couldn't go out in public. And the other day when I went shopping at a local fruit market I was greeted with Alice Cooper's "School's Out for Summer" and left to the strains of "The Sounds of Silence" (Seattle silence).
Music touches the soul, and is often a reflection of it. It also serves to speak for us, and to us, when we can't seem to speak the words. It can calm us, energize us, give us hope. We will get through this awful time and music can lead the way. Don't forget to sing, let it envelope you.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Corona Days
These are the days of the corona virus, aka Covid-19, and we are all sheltering in place, practicing the 6 ft rule, working from home. And for those of us in the Toastmaster world, we are adapting to having our meetings, and our contests online. It is a whole lot of adaptation, but like the rest of our lives we are learning to go with the flow, and I hope coming to appreciate the little things in life more.
I am encouraged to see people reaching out to each other to help in our various struggles, seeing more caring, and the focusing of energy to help and not to hurt. My hope is that it brings us together more as a nation and as a world. The virus knows no boundaries, and neither should our love and compassion for those who are suffering. A lot of things are in cosmic shift, very messy, but it the days and weeks to come I hope to share tips and reflections - doing my part to help us get through this , to help give hope for the future, and to help us learn.
Stay strong, keep safe, and continue to dream and work for a better world
Thanks
Bob (aka Chytha)
I am encouraged to see people reaching out to each other to help in our various struggles, seeing more caring, and the focusing of energy to help and not to hurt. My hope is that it brings us together more as a nation and as a world. The virus knows no boundaries, and neither should our love and compassion for those who are suffering. A lot of things are in cosmic shift, very messy, but it the days and weeks to come I hope to share tips and reflections - doing my part to help us get through this , to help give hope for the future, and to help us learn.
Stay strong, keep safe, and continue to dream and work for a better world
Thanks
Bob (aka Chytha)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)