Grateful, But Vigilant

I start off 2022 feeling grateful for my circumstances – wonderful family, nice home, relatively good health, numerous friends, interesting pastimes, resources to enjoy life. But, I am also vigilant because of the continued pandemic, the government, the culture, the future and the impact of all these matters on my friends and our country.

I always thought that people who are vigilant needed to lighten-up, relax, and enjoy life. I saw them as Scrooge-like people interested exclusively in themselves, getting ahead in life and not contributing to good. Upon reading the definition of vigilant, I noticed an interesting word – Keeping careful watch for possible danger or opportunity.

Even with the pandemic there can be opportunities. Artists have used the isolation to create beautiful visual art, performing art and literary art. Businesses have developed practices allowing many people to work from home resulting in more time for exercise, less travel, and connecting with family and even old friends.

However, danger continues to be a justifiable consideration for the pandemic. People must be careful when they go grocery shopping, worship in churches, and now we are even being asked not to go to the emergency rooms of hospitals following a positive test for coronavirus if our symptoms are not serious because many hospitals are beyond capacity.

Many of us continue to be anxious about this illness. The average COVID-related deaths in the last week was 1,615 per day. Addictions grow, as are suicides, many connected to the effects of COVID– each a resulting means of danger and concern.

So, why did I move from all the wonderful aspects of my life? Because I wanted to express the need to keep vigilant. There are now 500,000 children who have tested positive for COVID and many in pediatric hospitals. Our healthcare workers are burning out and teachers are leaving their occupations in droves.

Individually, we cannot tackle all of this. Still, many of us can help others in ways we may not have imagined and grow more responsible for our own mental health. I recently came across a great video from Dr. Alan Wolfelt, my mentor and friend, which captured ways in which you can live life well in the midst of the pandemic. I recommend this for anyone who continues to struggle to find opportunities in the midst of the pandemic. Despite the fact that he made this video nearly two years ago, Dr. Wolfelt’s principles still apply. (If you don’t see the video below, find it by searching YouTube for: Coronavirus and the Six Needs of Mourning)

I remain grateful for the many blessings I have, but am vigilant in order to retain some semblance of being At Peace in these challenging times. I pray the same for you.