Do you read my blog and wonder why I’m not talking about the elephant in the room – the virus that has taken over the news, personal conversations and social media feeds?
It’s not because I don’t have opinions. Very simply, it’s because I choose to focus on things that make me feel good.
In the last few months, every time I write a post I wonder very briefly if I seem oblivious to the goings-on in the world.
But I know what makes me feel good and it’s not the current world events, so I go on to write about my garden, or my ducks or something else that brings me joy in some way or other.
I try to do this throughout my day – to choose thoughts that are positive and uplifting. I’m a product of the broader culture in which looking for the good is naive and looking at what is wrong is being ‘realistic’. But many years of writing gratitude lists, sharing gratitude as a family nightly around the dinner table and looking for the good have made an impact on me. I’ve become less oriented towards complaining and focusing on all that is wrong.
I know that what I focus on will increase, and I find it valuable to consciously consider what I want to increase in my life.
This is a spiritual exercise every day, and in recent months it’s gotten quite a workout. Everywhere I go, everyone I interact with – it seems there’s just one topic that people want to discuss. And I’m not interested. I just don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think about it
I want to be happy. I want to find joy in my daily life. I want to feel safe in the world.
Is that walking through the world with blinders on? No. I see what is happening. I’m very, very aware.
And it’s because I’m aware that I choose to focus on things that feel good.
Avivah
I think it’s refreshing not to talk about it!
Kelly
I’m glad you think so, Kelly!
I would actually love to hear your opinion on the Covid situation. I enjoy hearing your opinions and perspectives, and thereby broadening my own. Maybe one day in the future when it’s all behind us……
In a time when the internet felt to me like a kinder place, I used to share my opinions on issues like this much more. But since dialogue and respect for dissenting opinions seems to have been lost, I have dropped back on sharing thoughts on topics like these.
I don’t believe in making decisions based on fear. The news media has extensively used scare tactics and regardless of the actual statistics, the fear and demonizing of anyone who doesn’t line up in fear continues. When I see the use of fear rather than facts as a strategy, it concerns me.
I’m more interested in education than manipulation. I believe in mutually respectful dialogue, I don’t believe in trying to make everyone think like me and it’s very concerning when I see heavy handed control to make everyone think the same way. I want to be educated and I want others to be educated, and we need to have a wide variety of opinions and studies and facts on the ground being shared so we can think about what is going on. Suppression of opinions that doesn’t align with the mainstream news outlets isn’t a healthy thing.
We have an amazing immune system and it’s the existence of a strong immune system that is our best protection. Why has their been no discussion of how to boost our immune system? The focus is on the virus as if that’s our enemy, but our world is filled with endless germs and bacteria and potential vectors of illness – we can’t wipe out the germs and it’s an exercise in futility to try to.
What every single person *can* do is boost his own immune system – breathe deeply, get lots of sunshine, exercise, eat healthier foods, take some supplements and most of all, think good thoughts. Most of those things don’t cost any money and anyone can do at least some of them.
If I wanted to put the population at risk for disease, I would do the following: limit fresh air, sunshine, exercise, social contact and incessantly broadcast terrifying news that would create stress and fear of losing one’s life and at the very least threaten their financial stability. (Oh, that’s what is being recommended to keep us healthy?? )
Every single one of us can do something to make ourselves a less friendly host to every virus. Why isn’t there discussion about why the vast majority of those who contract this are very mildly affected? My 21 year old is right now in a hotel with dozens of others who tested positive – that’s where everyone is sent to contain the virus – and it’s like summer camp, seriously – hardly anyone has more than minimal symptoms.
The social messages are advocating unhealthy codependency, as if this is a good thing to care more about others than yourself. No, it’s not. The world would be an amazing place if everyone took good care of himself, and from that position of strength helped others. No one is supposed to care about someone else more than himself, and for anyone to say it’s selfish to be most concerned about one’s self is using guilt to manipulate.
Well, that’s some of my opinion. 🙂
Aviva, I am so happy to see what you wrote. I feel the same way about how this whole situation is being handled. Other than a small handful of people, it seems most people I know buy into the media/government scare tactics. I don’t know all the particulars about boosting the immune system, but it seems obvious that breathing freely (no masks, particularly outside), eating healthy, getting enough sleep and of course, REDUCING STRESS are critical. B/c of that, I have stayed off the internet in recent times, hence I am seeing your post only much later. Sounds like you are happy in your new home but I do miss seeing you in RBS! Kol Tuv, Rivka
Years ago, I heard a recording of a class by Rabbi Akiva Tatz who said that most people don’t think for themselves, and don’t want to. He said something like, 10 out of a hundred people think they think for themselves, and 3 (or 5, don’t remember exactly the number he said) actually do think for themselves.
So this is the reality. It’s easier to passively absorb whatever is being broadcasted. It makes no demands of you; not only that, it gives you an instant feeling of superiority to everyone who doesn’t agree with you. I can’t stand the nonstop memes using vile language and demeaning, condescending comparisons or comments to make it seem that the other person is a witless/immoral idiot.
I’ve been thinking seriously about getting off of Facebook, for a number of reasons (the increasing censorship of every view but the one they want people to hold is one, as well as the increasing tracking and lack of privacy). But the primary reason is that it becomes increasingly difficult to trust the goodness of others when I see the readiness to impale anyone who doesn’t line up with the mainstream narrative.