Be Well
“A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.”
– Emily Dickinson
First of all, my apology to Emily Dickinson for utilizing her uplifting quote as a portent of words I know we are all weary of hearing: Pandemic, COVID-19, coronavirus. Or as most of us refer to it these days, simply “the virus.”
And yes, that word has begun to live in our vocabulary, our thoughts, our dreams, and worst of all, in the deaths and illness of many; and as the count grows every day, I will not even try to put a figure to it in this article. And, as many of you I am sure, the holidays just seem to drive it more deeply into our psyche as we maneuver around the rules, the responsibilities and the concern over the future.
It is said that a vaccine is “on the horizon” and I pray that is indeed true. However, we will need – in my humble opinion – to be vigilant for some time to come in fighting this scourge.
Many of you may know of friends or family who has been touched by the COVID-19. I know of several people who have been, though thankfully at this point in time no one who has succumbed to the virus.
As many throughout the world have indeed succumbed to it, the word “virus” has come to live in our minds on a regular basis. All that we can do to address the virus is to take on the responsibility of trying to keep ourselves and our loved ones as healthy as possible. These things include much of what we already know and hopefully, practice. Eating right, getting some sort of exercise every day, taking supplements if warranted (always talk with your physician about this) and practicing excellent hygiene.
I would also recommend that you practice deep breathing on a regular basis. COVID-19 sufferers count lung and breathing issues among the most prevalent and distressful. I will also add that although we are in the holiday “goodie” season that you should carefully watch your sugar intake as sugar can suppress your immune system.
So – back to my quote by Emily Dickinson.
The word “virus” has indeed taken on a life of its own, unfortunately. There are limits to what any of us can realistically do about it. However, do you fasten your seatbelt because it is the law or do you fasten your seatbelt because it may save your life? For me it is the latter reason.
Some have abdicated their responsibilities during this pandemic, but that is another conversation. Please wear your mask, and not just for you but for other people around you. Let’s work together to omit the word “COVID-19” from our daily conversations and thought processes. It can happen … it will happen.
Until then, masks, hygiene, distance. We can do this.
Sharon McMahon, CNWC
The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace advice of your personal physician or licensed health professional. Please consult your physician for any issues you may have related to nutrition or fitness activity.
I question who is protected by wearing a mask, me or the other person. I’m still not sure. I support hygiene 100%. This action should have been a part of everyone’s life even before the virus. Now as for distancing, I question that also. What good does it do by keeping people apart? We as a community need to be sharing information about how the virus is affecting us, our families and neighbors. We also need to share the symptoms as symptoms are different for everyone. Even if we wear masks and stand 6 feet apart, don’t let that distancing stop you from talking to each other.