Tag: Rachel Wilder

Noony here. As I write this, the U.S. passes the half-million mark of those infected with COVID-19 and my state, Washington, is still under a Stay Home, Stay Healthy order until the end of the month at least. It’s hard to overestimate the trauma caused by this situation: to individuals and families, forced to shelter in place; to the millions experiencing job loss; to the small businesses facing stoppages; children not able to attend classes, prom, and sports games; and a host of other things. This doesn’t even mention the families who have lost loved ones or are currently facing illness.

During a time like this, unprecedented in its scope to us in modern society, it is incumbent upon us to follow the best knowledge that we can. Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Remember that the media companies are in business and their business means they need your attention.
2. Constantly focusing on the negative, whether it’s politics or a health crisis or something else, is unhealthy.
3. If you do want to find out what’s going on, use good data sources:
   1. In the U.S., that means the doctors who specialize in epidemics and viral disease, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci.
   2. The World Health Organization.
   3. John’s Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
4. If you want to learn about the disease itself, The Great Courses Plus has some excellent classes available to subscribers. In the U.S., you can access them through Kanopy via your public library’s electronic learning, or you can subscribe directly to the courses (which I enthusiastically recommend).
5. Beyond that, ignore the news. Stop focusing on it, going bananas about what this or that person is doing or saying.
6. Make something.
7. Meditate.
8. Garden.
9. Nap.
10. Take it easy. Trauma is exhausting. That’s meant literally: it makes our bodies physically tired. Get more rest, and if you’re tired, take a nap.

Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. Read books, write in your journal, and use your mind. It’s easy to become scared in a time like this, particularly if you go online and find so many other scared people. But we need to take a deep breath and remember: we were given a mind for a reason. Use your knowledge. Build your knowledge. Keep calm and carry on.

It worked for the British during World War II and it can work for us, now.

Stay well, my friends.

P.S. Wash your hands.

Welcome to the A to Z Blog Challenge!

We are all in this together, my friends, during the time of Coronavirus. But it’s also the first day of April, and that means it’s the annual celebration of exuberant blogging, The A to Z Blog Challenge.  And it’s also the Grand Relaunch of the Writer Zen Garden, and ALSO Camp Nanowrimo!

My lovely fellow above is a Bald Eagle, photographed in February before the shelter in place orders really hit in Washington State. He’s missing one wing but he’s as gorgeous as ever. Fierce and unbowed.

That’s my wish for all of us, my friends, that we emerge from this fierce and unbowed. Even as I write this, I know with tears in my heart that it’s not possible for many, many people. Families touched by the loss of loved ones, countries devastated by overwhelming losses. And yet, we struggle through and fight to come to grips with the challenges facing us.

Humanity is, and ever has been, a resilient creature. We have survived enormous hardships from wars and conflicts to natural disasters. And through it all, creators have continued to create: writers write books and poetry, blogs and essays; painters paint oils and acrylics, street art and gallery pieces; dancers dance and design amazing shows that leave us breathless; and on and on through the litany of the arts. What it comes down to is expression.

And here’s the thing: we are naturally creative. We, as in all of us – you, me, that child over there, that old man living isolated and alone in the upstairs apartment – we are, all of us, creative. And that’s what the A to Z Challenge means to me, at its most distilled: an exuberant outpouring of content creation in the month of April whose only stipulation is that Day 1 is related to A, Day 2 to B, and so on throughout the month with Sundays as rest days. 26 days to correspond to the English language alphabet. One can select a theme, or not, as they choose.

And thus, we relaunch our website and blog into this atmosphere of unbridled blogging fun and creativity. This year, we have twenty bloggers to share with you: from professional authors and insurance agents, to poets, Reiki masters, life coaches, and a whole lot more besides. Our strength is in our diversity and we welcome you, Dear Reader, to journey through the alphabet with us. We’re glad you’re here. We hope that this provides a small oasis in your life, a place to rest, recover, and recreate within your own heart that solace which we sorely lack during trying times. And if you and yours are touched personally, please know that our hearts go out to you. May we all, collectively, be safe and well.

Namaste.

And, happy April!