Tag: #covid

Well, the event that we (myself and cheer team) worked so hard to keep away from me happened. I have been so careful and was feeling more confident. Living in Florida (lately COVID central), we spend a lot of time outside but with a weakened immune system the delta variant found a way in even being outside. It is not joke. Maybe a beach party, maybe the grocery store maybe anywhere – it gets in. So fast that you don’t even know. Nobody did anything wrong but it happened. So far, I am lucky. Once I tested positive, I received monoclonal antibodies and those little ones are like superheroes that stop my cold quickly. My dear friend helped me get them on day 4 and she is my guardian angel. It is scary how fast COVID progresses when you don’t have a way to fight for yourself.

For today’s post, I am back up again and went out for a little walk in the yard to take some pics. I had been out of it for a few – on day 6 of COVID – and I am up and feeling ok to write my blog. The backyard is a little bit of a hot mess. Maybe a hot, sticky, humid buggy mess. I can’t smell it so I am hopeful that the lavender is still filling the air with sweetness.

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I ask myself why? Why so many challenges? Why so many problems? What have I done wrong? The questions are real and my heart wants answers but there will not be an answer. I look to faith which can be challenging for me as I even ask questions there. My chronic disease has tested me in so many ways and exploring faith was a huge journey over the last year. At times, life is too much and there is no reason. I am learning to let go and know that we don’t have control over much in life. I think about life as a roller coaster. We are all buckled in and the journey will take turns, dips, climbs and spins. You might see what is ahead but you might not see the corkscrew turn coming next. Some coasters go backwards – we trust the rails, the engineering and let go preparing to scream, laugh or maybe even cry. I remember a time when I was little when my dad and I rode the Loch Ness monster ride at Busch Gardens. As we get to the top, my dad sees the dip and looks at me in terror and screams “Oh God we are all going to die.” It rocked me – I freaked out. No, we laugh about that ride but how was I scared during the ride. It took me a long time to get back on a rollercoaster but I did. Just like we get back on the life coaster. I close my eyes into the dips pushing my head against the headrest. I control what I can control. I put myself in the best position that I know. Once the dip is over, I open my eyes, let out a scream and enjoy the flips, spins and the rush until the end. Life is like that – control what you can over the dip but let go and enjoy the rest.

As I sign off today from my COVID isolation, I urge everyone to take COVID seriously. It might be annoying having to change your life but it helps. It helps individuals like me that you wouldn’t think are fragile. You help my kids who are terrified about losing their mom. My husband so he doesn’t suffer from a cardiac event from the stress. It helps my students so I can go back to work and hopefully inspire some kids to become scientists.

One lesson that leads my teaching is love. Love this world, love each other, just love. In every response to my students, I think about how can I show them love. So many in today’s world need love. You never need to apologize for showing love. So I might be seen as a lenient teacher at times but again the more love that you show – the more they work with or for you. Focus on others for a little bit. Even if just for today, what can you do to help someone today? The one thing that I know might help is to put on a mask. I am not getting into the vaccination debate though I have a strong opinion but the mask is easy. I see such mean selfish comments about this issue online and hear so much hate. Please help stop the spread of this virus; stop all the hate in this world. It is real and it hurts. It is scary and yes I know about the survival of the fittest etc. It might be true, but we are human with a wonderful brain to feel and care about others. Empathy is a unique trait and I think we should show the world what is like to be human – an empathetic human.