The Romance of a Pandemic

We’re living in a new world, where the mystery and excitement of the unknown future should bring love and acceptance, yet instead oftentimes bring fear and hate.

In the beginning of the pandemic, as hearts went up in windows and yards around the nation, the unity this crisis brought was much needed in our country.

Being forced into family time should help us re-prioritize our lives. Away from greed and consumerism, laziness and immorality. Toward love. Toward growth. Toward acceptance. Toward mindfulness.

Sure, there are things we miss. School. Sports. Bars. Restaurants. Fitness clubs. Playdates. Shopping. But these are all adaptable and will still be there when we come out of this.

As we struggle to find a new normal, as the wait for a vaccine wears on our souls, as the guidelines and restrictions and rules change and shift and backtrack, we must look towards each other with love and acceptance. We must help each other find the romance in a life that won’t let us go back anymore.

While we fight germs and viruses, we are forced to think about not only ourselves, but how our actions affect others. Our society has long needed a kick in the pants about this feeling called empathy.

The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and think about how your actions can impact someone else’s life is not an inherent trait. It is trained through experience and perspective. It must be nurtured and encouraged in children and adults.

As you are closer or more similar to someone, it is easier to empathize with them. You understand how they feel because you’ve been through similar situations. But how do we build empathy for people we don’t know? How do we feel compassion for the homeless stranger on the side of the road when you’ve never been homeless? How can we build empathy for the rich and famous whose lives we only see through the screen? How can we help opposing political parties understand we’re all in this together and there shouldn’t be a winner and loser, but a United States?

Empathy is an emotion for all situations, big or small. The more different a person is from you, the more important it is that you try on their perspective for a moment. Look at life through their eyes and ask them some questions about it. Show them some love and romance.