By Latasha McGill
We are barely four months into 2020, yet it feels like three years. We’ve experienced the tragic death of a basketball legend that left the world in disbelief, in certain parts of the country there have been unusual bouts of rain for weeks at a time and now we are dealing with a worldwide pandemic. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has taken the world by storm and not in a good way. The virus has shaken the world to the core in every way imaginable. Businesses, churches, and schools have closed, and the world is under quarantine as we practice something I’ve never heard of before: Social Distancing. Social distancing is the new normal until the medical community can get this crisis under control and the spread of the virus is no longer a threat. People have no choice but to remain at home, indoors as much as possible and not gather. Simple errands such as a grocery store run are not safe right now, but necessary. So much has changed in a matter of days; proms and graduations have been canceled, college kids have had to abruptly leave campus and worse, some people became unemployed due to this pandemic.
With the world in a state of uncertainty, it can become increasingly difficult to maintain checks and balances. I have my moments when this new normal is a bit overwhelming. I have an 18-year-old college freshman at home who is hurt because her first year of college was interrupted. She had to come home and finish the semester online; not to mention she doesn’t want to be in the house all day every day. While I understand her anguish and frustration, all I can do as her mother is support her through this difficult time as we all wait and see when life will return to normal.
Although we have been forced apart, this past week I’ve seen people come together in ways that have been wonderful and awe-inspiring. Many families rely on breakfast and lunch served at schools to provide meals for their children. With school closures, community leaders have partnered with restaurants to provide nourishing meals for families. And, people have been swift to provide cash donations online to assist with feeding children. These actions bring our communities closer and prove that we can all come together when it matters even when we can’t physically be together. Last week, DJ D-Nice hosted a Club Quarantine party on Instagram live that brought over 100k people together virtually, including many celebrities for a party that had people dancing, smiling and happy while at home in front of their devices. The online party had me smiling and enjoying some of my favorite tunes. During that time, I wasn’t concerned about news updates; I was calm and relaxed and having a good time with others virtually.
This is a time when we really need each other. We need each other’s support, compassion, care, and understanding. We need to be praying for others as we all deal with the effects of this pandemic. Now more than ever, we should be leaning on our tribe for emotional and mental support. There are a plethora of ways we can uplift and support each other; assist friends and family by providing links to resources that are beneficial to their current circumstances such as unemployment resources, educational links for children, and food services. Call your friends and family and check on them. We need to stay connected with our people by regularly communicating. Make sure people have what they need to survive. And, practice social distancing even when it gets to be too much. Do it anyway because the sooner we can get through this, the sooner we can call come together. Remember, we need each other to survive.
#WholePersonHealthy
Latasha “Tasha Mac” McGill is a contributing writer for the Pedestal Project, LLC. Tasha Mac is a grammar geek who is obsessed with coffee, high heels, lipstick, 90s R&B and Comic book movies. She is also a vegetarian whose idea of “turning up” is being in bed by 9pm, working out, watching HGTV and reading a book.
Connect with her on Facebook @Latasha McGill, on Instagram @TashaMac523, on Twitter @LadyT523
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