Being positive in the midst of a worldwide pandemic
By: Miranda Mowrey, Columnist
The world is a scary place right now. Life for everyone has changed drastically over the last couple weeks. Millions have lost their jobs, a growing number of people are getting sick, schools across the country have moved to online learning, big events that we have all been looking forward to have been cancelled.
This complete disruption of everyday life has ignited anxiety and fear in a lot of us. When the future ahead is unknown, it is really challenging to stay hopeful and positive as our minds resort to worst case scenarios.
For students, it is super disappointing that all of our classes are now online. Yes, on-campus classes mean braving the insane amount of hills found on Towson’s campus, and occasionally dodging a rabid racoon or two, but anything beats trying to watch your professor figure out how Zoom works while you sit in the same clothes you’ve been wearing the past two days.
Although it is important to come to terms with the sucky-ness of reality, it is equally necessary to remind yourself of the silver-linings, even in the darkest times. So, as we move further and further away from what normal life used to be like, here are some things that will lift your spirits about the current state of things.
As a result of international lockdowns that urge people to stay inside, the environment is getting the break it deserves. In Italy, canal water has gone from a muggy brown to a beautiful blue. Chinese air pollution has subsided and in Thailand and Japan, monkeys have begun to explore streets once dominated by tourists.
More than 100 million Americans are staying at home in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. To me, this means that millions of children across the country are getting to spend time with their parents that are usually too busy to play dolls, make chocolate chip pancakes, or practice baseball with their kids. It is in times like these where we realize what and who is truly important in life.
Oh, and we can’t forget about all the dogs across the county living in absolute bliss right now. Waiting all day for their humans to come home from work is history — our four-legged best friends now keep us company as we melt into the couch and are treated to tons of walks as we attempt to curb cabin fever.
Lastly, think about all of the things you put off because you are just too busy with work, school, or various social events. Whether you’re always putting painting, writing, organizing your closet, or calling your childhood best friend on the backburner, you are now blessed with time to actually do these things.
In life, it is impossible to stop these tragic events from happening. But, allowing yourself to value the silver lining in any bad situation is the key to getting through tough times. Everywhere we look, it is way too easy to be afraid and fearful about what is happening in the world around us. It takes effort and devotion to keep in mind the beauty that life still has to offer in the midst of darkness.
