Today on one of the Facebook pages a person on the CPTSD page wondered why she was feeling so stressed when she liked to stay home.  I pointed out to her that there is a big difference between choosing to stay home and being trapped at home.  Death threats if you don’t comply.  Accusations of selfishness if you go out for anything what someone else considers nonessential.  Daily death postings, a barrage of videos outlining all the terrible things that are about to happen.  Weirdness here, more people are killed on our freeways than by the Corona virus.  More babies are aborted than the Corona virus.  More people die of regular flu than Corona virus.  The rest of the World gets to experience what I grew up as a child, helplessness, fear, threats, grounding, for some people hunger and loss of access to basic things like medical care and hugs.  Yes, it is my perspective is that the reaction to the Corona virus is similar to the abuse I grew up with.  So stress is not an unexpected reaction.  For me, I look at the situation and recognize that I was raised in a fear based culture….It does not end well.

Mr. Roger’s mother said, “To look for the helpers.”  Bless the people on Facebook sharing some of these blessings….an owner of a nail salon donating hospital grade face mask, people in Italy singing from their windows, police entertaining children with their own rendition of “Baby shark”, restaurants that never did take out changing completely how they do business, people checking up on each other with notes in the window, children playing tag by writing “Tag you it” on the sidewalk in front of their house, conference calls between friends and family, check-in texts making sure people are ok, neighbors exercising out on the street maintaining a safe distance from each other.  I could write and write and write of all the amazing things people are doing.  Then there are the online museums, zoos, education services all offering free connections for the next month.  The World is being shaken by the scruff of our neck, but kindness, consideration, and love are spreading faster.

For me and many others it is a time of fasting and prayer.  Onine church is hitting record highs.  Yes there is stress, but I do what Mr. Roger’s mom said and I look for the helpers.  The people that are reaching out to each other, encouraging, the many that work in hospitals, grocery stores and drive in restaurants, fire and police officers, people working at electrical power plants, and other services still needed.  I feel deep gratitude that I am healthy and most of the people I know are too.  A couple of friends are sick but not with Corona virus.  I pray for those that are impacted financially or people they know are sick.  The World is having a paradigm shift and that is stressful.