The Caring Catalyst

Who Cares - What Matters

What’s In It FOR ME?

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It’s a fair question
(normally)
and many right now would say
It’s a FOUL question
(way out of bounds):
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
B U T:

Helping Others Can Help You Cope with our current
Lockdown. . .

In the time of coronavirus,
turning outward
is a win-win prospect. . .

 ELIZABETH SVOBODA, author of, WHAT MAKES A HERO? THE SURPRISING SCIENCE OF SELFLESSNESS has a few ideas about what we know, what we know we know, what we’re especially most afraid of proving what we know
e s p e c i a l l y
when we’re unsure of
NOW
as much as any
TOMORROW
or next week
or next year
or just
N E X T

It’s easy to feel, these days, that we’re swirling in a coronavirus-induced vortex of helplessness. In many regions, COVID-19 case counts are jumping dramatically. Health care workers face impossible decisions about who to disconnect from ventilators. And those of us who remain well must comply with “stay at home” orders, which anchor us in place as the needs of people around us keep growing. 

Our first instinct may be to hunker down and protect ourselves and our immediate families. But to get through these times with our sanity and well-being intact, we may need to push back on this initial impulse—to turn outward, not just inward. Research shows that when we put a high priority on reaching out to others, our own mental and physical health flourish. 

It’s a rare win-win proposition in a bleak landscape: In helping other people get through this crisis, you can help yourself in equal measure. “It’s a way of reframing your existence,” says bioethicist Stephen Post, “getting out from the negative vortex and feeling free to do something that is meaningful.”

Helping buoys the helper,
not just the recipient. . .

While we’ve never faced a foe quite like COVID-19 before, doctors and scientists have studied what happens when people pull together and help others after a setback. About a year after the 2008 financial crisis, when thousands of people lost their jobs and homes, Post and his Stony Brook University colleagues surveyed 4,500 Americans about their volunteering habits and their mental health. 

In the wake of the financial downturn, rates of volunteering were higher than they had been the year before—and that bump came with clear psychological benefits. 

Eighty-nine percent of people felt happier overall thanks to their helping efforts, and 78 percent reported that volunteering helped them better deal with disappointment and loss. About three in four volunteers felt less stressed. Many respondents reported making deeper friendships by connecting with other helpers. 

“When people feel vulnerable, they can take their mind off the self and the problems of the self, and just experience the simple gratification of contributing to the life of another human being,” Post says. “That’s how people were coping.”

Helping also buoys us mentally because it directs our focus away from scary abstractions and back toward concrete, solvable problems. One of this pandemic’s defining features is the numbing parade of numbers—new cases mounting by the thousands, hospitals inching closer to capacity overrun. 

Psychologist Paul Slovic has long contended that our brains check out when we consider the abstract fate of large populations: We aren’t fully equipped to process what it means when a small town’s worth of people dies each day. Concentrating on what individual people need, on the other hand, motivates us to help—and we then reap the benefits that come with that decision. 

At the height of a pandemic, it seems especially relevant that helping promotes robust physical health, as well. 

In a 2013 study of adults over 50, those who volunteered regularly were 40 percent less likely than non-volunteers to have high blood pressure years later. And incredibly, frequent volunteers have lower mortality rates across the board. A Stanford University team reported that, over an eight-year period, people who volunteered occasionally had a 25 percent lower risk of dying than those who didn’t help—while people who volunteered frequently were 33 percent less likely to die. 

Creative stay-at-home helping ventures about. . .

But how do you help people when you’re stuck at home?

Social distancing and shelter-in-place restrictions do put some volunteer opportunities out of reach, especially for members of high-risk groups. It’s enough to make you want to give up; just throw your hands up in the air and literally walk away or just hunker down deeper. . .However, motivated helpers have found plenty of creative ways to serve others remotely. 

When doctors and nurses in the San Francisco Bay Area started running out of personal protection equipment (PPE), thousands of people donated surgical and N95 masks, face shields, antiseptic wipes, and other materials to Kaiser Permanente and other health care organizations. 

After medical students around the country were pulled from clinics, fourth-year University of Michigan student Marina Haque launched an online community under the hashtag #students_against_covid to support and amplify the helping efforts of future doctors. Some students, Haque says, are caring for the children of doctors on the front lines, while others are reaching out to local labs that can donate PPE to hospitals. 

In Boston, high school teacher Randi Stern has created an uplifting newsletter called The Daily Drop, complete with suggested lockdown activities, book recommendations, and inspiring quotes. She sends it regularly to her friends and family. “It calms me for a couple hours each day,” Stern says. “It’s also nice to get emails back in response to what I’ve written.” She enjoys fostering social connection at a time when so many are hungry for it.

On an even more individual level, Kara Loewentheil, a life coach and host of the Unf*ck Your Brain podcast, is offering free web meetings and coaching calls to help people stay grounded and optimistic during the coronavirus pandemic.

Efforts like these are “the key to staying sane, I think,” Loewentheil says. “When we focus on others, we get connected back into the community and big picture and out of our stress-response brain.” 

Matching your strengths
to the right opportunities. . .

We tend to get caught up in thinking that only medical personnel and first responders can make a meaningful difference during this crisis. Yet in the coronavirus era, “simply reaching out to people is being helpful and heroic in small ways,” says University of Richmond psychologist Scott Allison. “Each of us can make a positive difference by tapping into our strengths and sharing them.” 

In a shelter-in-place context, that might mean teaching a free online math class to kids who can’t attend regular school, or a few minutes a day doing Skype check-ins with lonely members of your social circle.

You don’t have to commit full-time to these practices to make a major difference in others’ lives—and your own. In Post’s study, most volunteers “weren’t overdosing. They were volunteering on average 100 hours a year,” he points out. “If you wanted to space that out, you’re talking about a couple of hours a week, more or less.” 

Thinking about helping as an incremental venture, rather than an all-or-nothing one, may help you overcome any initial inertia. Even making a donation to a helping organization whose mission you support—which may take less than a minute—can boost your well-being measurably. 

If you live alone and you’re in good health, you may be eligible for essential helping roles that involve a higher degree of risk. Food banks around the country desperately need volunteers at community centers to distribute produce and pantry staples to households in need. Opportunities like this require you to weigh the positive impact you can have against the likelihood of contracting the virus.

In stepping into a helping identity in times of hardship, Post observes, you can embark on a kind of inner journey philosopher Martin Buber described: the transition from an “I-It” mindset, in which you see other people as peripheral objects in your own universe, to an “I-Thou” mindset, in which you relate to others as worthy, complete beings in their own right. This journey mirrors Joseph Campbell’s vision of finding your highest self in the act of helping others. It’s also a productive alternative to waiting impatiently for a coronavirus vaccine.

“‘They’re gonna come up with something’ is passive,” Post says. “Volunteering is an active form of hope.”

So back to that question:
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
SOMETHING
always equals more than
NOTHING
It’s the simplest
the easiest kind of Math
to ever understand
and it’s universally
u n d e r s t o o d
without fail
What’s in it for me?
E V E R Y T H I N G
or absolutely
n o t h i n g
YOU
CHOOSE

A LOST GIFT

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Like most film clips, this one found me
and more than just finding me
it’s message pierced my heart
and when your heart gets pierced
most of the time 
it beats differently
(at least for a short amount of time)
until it gets pierced again
(and again, and again:
AND IF YOU’RE TRULY ALIVE
countless more times)

Writing in his journal 9 year old Abeer
speaks of his frustrations 
with having to always prove himself
at home
at school
at playtime with friends
never really ever being allowed to 
just be himself

His heartfelt
and eye-opening words
remind us that each child is 
wonderfully and awesomely 
u  N  I   QU  e
and should not just be 
S  E  E  N
as such
but most especially 
cherished
treated
as such

The right-between-the-eyes-straight-through-the-heart-message:
DON’T LOOK AT WHO YOUR CHILD COULD BE
BUT WHO YOUR CHILD IS

As Abeer 
points out so powerfully:
IF CHILDREN TRULY ARE THE BEST GIFT
YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSE TO FIX THE BEST GIFT;

It shot me back to a powerful scene 
from the movie
G L  A  D  I  A  T  O  R

When Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Commodus
is crying for the approval/acceptance of his father,
Richard Harris’s Marcus Aurelius
at which time Aurelius 
sushes his son and says,
“YOUR FAULTS AS A SON IS MY FAILURE AS A FATHER.”

I have had so not proud moments
with each of my children
and when I have blatantly known them
(mostly at that very moment)
I have apologized

I know the greatest blessings of my life are 
my family;
My wife
my children
my grandchildren
my sister and brothers
my parents
my nieces and nephews
my cousins

For me.          .          .
some of the worst moments in my life
is when I have not noticed 
T     H     A     T
Or Worse. . .
when I’ve tried to tamper
TO FIX
what’s ultimately
never been broken
IN THEM
(but not always in me
(FOR, OR BECAUSE OF ME)
Maybe the truest GIFT 
now
is knowing it
and never knowingly do it
a g a i n. . .
To make my love less of a Roller Coaster
and more like the greatest
AMUSEMENT PARK
any person who knows me
(especially children)
could ever visit and
(. . .and better)
NEVER LEAVE

A Helpers Helper

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We have to hit the rewind button on this
but even all the way back into the early 70s
I remember there was a product
which is still out there today
HAMBURGER HELPER. . .
The reason this was invented
and used
and still popular
is because it takes a little bit
and makes a whole lot;
it enhances. . .
In this upside-down-topsy-turvy-earth-literally-on-its-axis-time
we kind of need a helper
well. . .
to help
don’t we?
I’ve been working in healthcare since about 1988
as part-time chaplain at several area hospitals
and full-time now since 1994 with hospice. . .
I’ve always seen myself as an auxiliary
Helper
I, in no way
have ever seen myself as the main guy;
FRONT LINE
. . .In fact,
I’m almost embarrassed to say that I work in healthcare
when everybody’s getting free coffee
extra special shopping hours
and even free burritos
because they are
F R O N T L I N E
Even though I’m still working in an inpatient unit
and seeing patients and families
I, in no way,
 see myself as a first responder
or as a helper
or even a Final,
a Last Responder
even though I’m still doing funerals and graveside services. . .
I have always first
and foremost
seen myself as a
Helper to the HELPER;
It literally has not already
defined my entire life
it is severely enhanced it. . .
Aren’t we all THAT:
H E L P E R S
Have we failed to notice
what is so recognizable before each of us. . . ?
Not only to be a Helper
but at the very least
H E L P E R S
to the Helpers
That’s what it means to
HOLD SPACE
That’s what it means
especially at this very moment
To not only be significant
but also to make some sense
out of why we are all really
here now at this very
i n s t a n t

I have never performed brain surgery
or mended together broken bones
. . .at the very best
I’ve held hands
and cared for broken hearts
held space for tired spirits
listened to what a heart shouts
but a mouth can’t ever imagine whispering;
I literally
have tried to be
all things to all people
not that I can save them
so much as serve them
not always as they deserved
but but always as they have needed. . .
To help bring some light to the darkness;
To be for them–
patient
family member
or first responder
final responder
what no one else
in that very instant
could ever be for them. . .
Now the not so big Secret:
We all have the capacity
To be Helpers
To Be Responders. . .
I have the upmost respect
not just for the medical doctors
not just for physician assistants
not just for nurse practitioners
 not just for the nurses
not just for the social workers
not just for those most blessed health aides
but for all those who recognize
and see themselves as
Helpers to the Helpers. . .
Who isn’t THAT person?
A First
A Fair to Midland
A Middle of the Roader
A Near the Ender
A Final
R E S P O N D E R
. . .label me what you will
but for the sake
of us all
I hope to never be known as a
NON-RESPONDER. . .
THIS THING
we are all dealing with right now
is not by Chance
(no accident)
It’s the Beginning
of one of the possibly
Biggest-most-epic-world-wide-challenges
in our lives
so far
. . .or it isn’t
It’s time to be a
A RESPONDER
A HELPER
A HELPER’S HELPER
It’s time to play Nice
at a not-so-nice time. . .

Who will be?

Who won’t be?

WHO WILL YOU BE. . .

It’s time to be more than a
MASK WEARER
it’s now
O U R
T I M E
to be
HELP-BEARER


The Boat Holds Us ALL

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We’ve often wondered if maybe
THE BOAT WAS BIG ENOUGH
and over these past few weeks
the question has been answered
THERE IS NO ONE ON THE SHORE
We are all in the Boat
that’s getting rocked
and at times
seemingly taking on more
w a t e r
than it might be able to handle
. . .but with all of this rocking about
and the absence of a
SURE
SHORE
we are finding
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
y e s
we are all in
this boat
t o g e t h e r

SO. . .
Does Our Culture Affect Our Motivation to Be Kind
as we find our spot
in the Boat. . . ?

A recent study suggests that kindness makes us happy across cultures—with some subtle differences.

 SHANNA B. TIAYON is a journalist that started to look around the bow to take a look at that question and how it finds an answer in US

When you perform an act of kindness for someone, what’s your motivation? Do you think about how it will make the beneficiary feel, or how it will make you feel—or maybe you don’t think about the benefits at all?

The answer might depend on what culture you belong to, hypothesized the researchers behind a new study. However, exactly how this works isn’t so cut and dried, as they found out when conducting experiments in the U.S. and South Korea—reminding us that we have a lot to learn about how kindness works in different cultures.

The experiments included nearly 650 undergraduate students from public universities in the U.S. and South Korea. As the researchers explain, the U.S. is generally considered an independent culture, where individuals see themselves as autonomous and are more focused on individual rights, while South Korea represents an interdependent culture, where individuals see themselves as connected and most interested in the good of the collective. 

On the first day of the study, participants reported on their positive and negative feelings, their life satisfaction, and their feelings of connectedness with others, among other things. Then, participants were randomly assigned to read news articles that highlighted one of the following themes: 1) the benefits of kindness to self, 2) the benefits of kindness to others, or 3) the personal benefits of being organized (the control group). 

Next, all participants were asked to perform as many acts of kindness as they liked before the end of the week, as long as the acts took place on the same day. As examples, the researchers suggested “helping your parents cook dinner, doing a chore for your sister or brother, helping a friend with homework, visiting an elderly relative, or writing a thank-you letter.” On day eight of the study, participants repeated the same well-being surveys. 

The results showed that U.S. students who read about the benefits of kindness to self experienced increases in positive mood, life satisfaction, and feelings of connectedness and a decrease in negative feelings compared to the control group. 

As the researchers explain, “Members of individualist cultures may benefit from prosocial [kind and helpful] behavior when it is explicitly framed as a way by which to pursue their own personal happiness.”

These findings held despite the fact that 52 percent of the U.S. students were Asian or Asian American. On surveys, these students tended to identify highly with American culture—suggesting that your orientation toward kindness may have more to do with where you live than your culture of origin. 

The researchers expected that South Korean students would get more out of kindness after hearing how it benefits others—but that wasn’t the case. Their well-being wasn’t any higher than the control group who read about organization. 

Why not? The researchers suggest that the study may have been biased toward individualistic notions of well-being. For example, the news article talked about how kindness benefits other individuals, rather than explaining how it fosters group harmony. Also, the surveys asked about personal feelings and personal life satisfaction, versus the more collective experience of well-being that might be valued by South Koreans. 

In the U.S., thinking about the benefits we get from performing acts of kindness can make us feel selfish, but there’s no harm in viewing kindness as a win-win for ourselves and others. This study suggests we might even reap more happiness by doing so. Outside the U.S., though, psychology still has a lot to learn about the relationship between kindness and well-being and the best way to motivate acts of kindness in other cultures.

Can we
HOLD THIS SPACE
for others now more than ever
as we’re all tossed together
in a Boat
we never meant to board
but made us passengers
one and all
just the same. . .

It won’t matter much
how we all got
in The Boat
or just how different we are
or where we happen to be sitting
THE WAVE
has come over
on all sides
and soaked us
we’re all dripping wet;
the question isn’t so much is it water
as it is
compassion
kindness
consideration
acceptance
empathy
l o v e
or will it ultimately be
US
and not the wave at all
that sinks us

Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst:
WE
ARE
THE
A N S W E R
TO THAT QUESTION
and it desperately needs
answered
on kind act
at a time
. . .research the
data keepers are waiting to document
and report


Making a S P L A S H

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“When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

Can you
DO YOU
Dare Imagine
that we were created for a time like this;
not for a time 359 years ago
or 3500 years ago
or 680 years in the future
b u t
NOW
HERE
THESE MOMENTS

Y O U
are more than a single drop in the Ocean;
YOU ARE A RIPPLE-MAKER

The best
S P L A S H
you can ever make
requires no water. . .
Drown us in goodness

Hey. . .
Try practicing being selfless everyday,
Just a thought. . . .

THRIVING Surviving

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EVERYTHING THAT’S BEEN UNRAVELING
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS
AND NOW FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. . .
well, it’s enough to make your head explode;
S O :

How DO YOU Keep the Greater Good in Mind During the Coronavirus Outbreak

In the midst of our panic around COVID-19, we must look to each other to help us get through it.

Recently, journalist  JILL SUTTIE wrote an article that gave us a peek about how we can do better doing better. . .

Should we expect more cooperation and compassion in the face of an epidemic? Because, contrary to popular belief, crises often tend to bring out the best in people. A report that looked at how people responded during the September 11th Twin Tower attacks showed that people bent over backwards to help others escape, sometimes at great personal risk to themselves. Other reports on the aftermath of natural disasters show that strangers will stick out their necks for each other to help.

While it’s true that sometimes disasters can lead to a minority taking advantage of the situation—for example, stealing people’s possessions when they have to leave their house—this is not a common response, much as it grabs headlines. Instead, when we face a common enemy, like an epidemic, we are more likely to pull together for the benefit of everyone.

Notice how many young and healthy people are taking seriously the need to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouths when they cough, stay home when sick, or wear masks when in public. Sure, no one wants to get sick—but, at the same time, no one wants to be responsible for making others sick. 

In fact, research shows that protecting others is a huge motivator for doing the right thing. For example, one study looked at what prompts handwashing behavior in hospital doctors and nurses. Researchers found that signs saying, “Hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases,” were more effective at prompting handwashing than signs simply saying, “Hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases.” In other words, appealing to the health care workers’ altruistic care for their patients was more effective than appealing to their self-interest.

In fact, it may simply be human nature to be kind and helpful when others need us. In one recent study, children only four to five years old who were told that resisting a treat would benefit another child were better able to delay gratification than children told their actions would only affect themselves. Similarly, babies as young as 19 months old were willing to give food away to someone who appeared to need it, even when hungry themselves. 

Of course, not everyone acts altruistically in these situations. So, what makes it more likely they will, and how can we use that to our advantage? Here are four ways we can encourage more altruism for fighting the virus.

1. Look to the heroes

There will always be heroic efforts in a disaster—people who sacrifice themselves for the good of others. Think of the health care workers who are treating people infected with this virus at great personal risk. Or those infected with the virus who voluntarily isolate themselves for weeks to protect the public.

When we hear stories of these people, we feel what is called moral elevation—a warm feeling inside that inspires us, fueling optimism and a desire to act altruistically ourselves. While the temptation might be to focus on fear and everything going wrong, we can redirect our attention to those who are doing the right thing, which will lead us to be better citizens ourselves. 

2. Stay calm and focused

It’s easy to be lost in fear when disaster strikes. However, it doesn’t help anyone to stir up panic about the situation, because we don’t think as clearly when we are in emergency mode. You can see how this has played out already, as people have been stockpiling masks and creating a shortage that could affect the people who truly need them—those who are sick and need masks to avoid spreading the disease to the rest of us.

How can we stay calmer and make wiser choices? One way is to use whatever tools you have at your disposal for keeping a cool head—like practicing mindfulness, which has been shown to both lessen emotional reactivity and help us make better decisions. We might take a walk in the park or nearby woods and let nature soothe us. Or we could talk to a friend—a calm friend, that is—who can help us reduce our anxiety.  

Of course, our normal ways of connecting socially—like singing together at a concert or going to large parties—may have to change. But whatever we can do to maintain an air of calm, and to spread it to those around us, the better. After all, our emotions tend to be contagious in our social circles, and we should do our best to keep fear and panic contained. 

3. Show gratitude

One of the kindest things we can do is to say “thank you” to those who are doing what they can to fight the outbreak. As with my son’s university, it doesn’t hurt to send a message of thanks to people and organizations that are doing the right thing—whether it’s a tour group that offers refunds for cancelled trips, the neighbor who delivers a spare mask to you, or viral experts who give you straight-up information on how to stay safe.

When we show gratitude toward others, we let them know that their actions matter, which encourages more of the same kind of behavior—not only toward the grateful person but to others. Creating a cycle of altruism is helpful when we are faced with a challenge that affects us all, helping to foster trust in each other and care for each other’s plight.

4. Remember our common humanity and show compassion

When we are fearful, our first instinct might be to cast blame on others or to indulge in prejudice toward groups we see as responsible. News reportsalready show that some people of Asian descent in the United States are finding themselves shunned or the victims of racist profiling, simply because the virus appears to have originated in China. Though we might rationally know that no one person or country can be blamed for a viral outbreak, our minds still seek simple explanations. 

Research suggests that when we recognize our common humanity and show compassion, we are more likely to pull together and to solve issues that may be complex in nature. You can start by giving yourself some compassion, which can help you become more willing to admit mistakes and take steps to correct them. This is important, as human error can be costly when there is a viral outbreak, and we need to work together to learn from our mistakes. 

Of course, all of these guidelines don’t supplant the importance of practicing good hygiene. We need to continue to frequently wash our hands and avoid touching our faces, so that we can lessen the chance of infecting ourselves and others. But we also should remember our
 social hygiene—looking for the heroes, staying calm ourselves, being grateful, and remembering our common humanity. In this way, we can help to make the world safer for all of us.

Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst:
You don’t need a crystal ball to know that
it doesn’t matter what you hold in your hand
so much as how you extend what you hold
to others. . .
DO THAT
and the immediate
the most intimate
World around you
not only becomes richer;
you become priceless
Y O U
T H R I V E
S U R V I V I N G

In the MEAN time

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meantime (n.)

also mean time, mid-14c., mene-time, “interim, interval between one specified time and another” (now only in in the mean time), from mean (adj.2) “middle, intermediate” + time (n.). Late 14c. as an adverb, “during the interval (between one specified time and another).” As a noun, properly written as two words but commonly as one, after the adverb. In the mean space “meanwhile” was in use 16c.-18c.

Have you ever done that. . . ?
Thought
. . .Actually used a word or a phrase
thinking it to be one thing
but having it literally have a different
d e f i n i t i o n
. . .u s e

Maybe it’s just all about
P E R S P E C T I V E
of not just how we see things
but how
YOU
see them
and more,
SHARE THEM. . .
“IN THE MEANTIME,”
I’ve said that a million of times
seemingly using it in the right way
as defined from above
but these past two weeks
with the World
literally being turned on its axis
it’s taken on another
a not-so-great-new-meaning:

In the
M E A N
time
See it?
GET IT?
BELIEVE IT?
Are we living in the
MEAN
time
and by
M E A N
I mean
Nasty
Evil
Low
Vile
Stingy
Despicable
Contemptible
Cruel
Wicked
Vicious
Malicious
Immoral
Unethical
Hateful
Unkind
Wretched
Selfish
(Did I miss any?)
Over toilet paper
Hand sanitizer
Bottled water
Food
Cleaning equipment
Personal Protective Equipment
Attitudes
Beliefs
Prejudices
(Did I miss any?)

But in the
MEAN
time
I choose to be
kind
loving
forgiving
accepting
compassionate
brave
hopeful
grateful
sympathetic
empathetic
caring
inspiring
aspiring
faithful
friendly
confident
motivated
motivating
serving
giving
healing
happy
inclusive
(Did I miss any?)
Then. . .
Help me fill in the
BLANK
but in the
M E A N
time


D I S T A N C I N G

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I don’t know if this is a noun or a verb. . .
But I know I’m always reaching
to be more of a verb. . .
Y O U ?

D I S T A N C I N G

Whether it’s SOCIAL
Whether it’s PHYSICAL
Whether it’s EMOTIONAL
Whether it’s SPIRITUAL
is still
d i s t a n c i n g
and like any ripple
it causes other
w a v e s
BUT

Social Distancing Doesn’t Mean You Have to Be a Hermit

There are many Experts now explain how to socialize in the time of
COVID-19.

image

In part, this is how MELISSA MATTHEWS recently shared some insights out of how this is effecting us all. . .

Man Walking On Park Alley

ROXANA VALLE / EYEEMGETTY IMAGES

The COVID-19 pandemic has postponed Coachella, cancelled the NBA, shot down March Madness, NHL, Soccer, Churches, as it’s closed Bar’s, Restaurants, postponed Golf tournaments, Parades, The Kentucky Derby, MLB, sent kids home from schools, colleges, universities, daycare centers, gyms and just about anything else that allows anymore than 10 people together and spawned a new phrase: social distancing. 

In the United States, public health officials are recommending that even healthy people stay at home as much as possible. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all events with more than 10 people be canceled in the U.S.

This is where the practice of social distancing comes in. 

Think of social distancing as the middle ground between quarantine and doing whatever you want, whenever you want, says K.C. Rondello,M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Public Health & Emergency Management at Adelphi University. 

“Social distancing involves all the choices we make that create a barrier of space between us and others,” Dr. Rondello tells Men’s Health. 

According to the CDC, you’d want to maintain about six feet of personal space and avoid public places like shopping centers.

You may be hearing the term for the first time, but societies have deployed the technique in the past, says Dr. Rondello. It’s particularly helpful when there’s no treatment or vaccine available for a rapidly spreading pathogen, he says. 

Here’s why social distancing matters

If you’re healthy, you might think that you don’t have to limit your interactions with other people. After all, the risk of developing pneumonia or needing hospitalization from COVID-19 is low for the average healthy person, according to the CDC.

But limiting your social interactions reduces the risk of spreading the virus to people who may then spread it onto more people. This helps “flatten the curve,” or influx of new cases in a given time period. Slowing the spread of the disease reduces the strain on the healthcare system by limiting the number of people who are severely sick and need hospital care. It also gives researchers more time to develop treatments and vaccines

Research from previous pandemics show that this method works. In 2009, closing schools for 18 days in Mexico helped reduce transmission of H1N1 by 29 to 37 percent, according to a 2011 study published in PLOS Medicine. 

That said, you can be cautious without letting the pandemic dictate your entire life, according to William Schaffner, M.D., and infectious disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN.

There is no “right” way to practice social distancing

Empty store shelves and internet memes may lead you to believe you can never leave the house. This isn’t true.

“I think it’s kind of up to you to decide how much risk you want to put other people in and how much risk you want to acquire for yourself,” Dr. Schaffner tells Men’s Health. “There is not a transmission policeman out there.”  Still, it might not be bad for each of us to imagine that we actually infected and just by being with another person, old or young, we could not just infect them, but actually may cause their deaths. . .

People who are older than 60 and individuals who are immunocompromised, meaning they have a difficult time fighting infections, should be more cautious, says Dr. Schaffner. The CDC states people at-risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 should limit their exposure to groups and even look into grocery delivery.

But not everyone has access to grocery delivery or the freedom to work from home. 

Here’s how to implement the method realistically:

At the store

There’s no need to buy six month’s worth of toilet paper now. . .which I’m still not completely understanding;

In fact, stockpiling makes it more difficult for people to purchase essential items. However, you should head to the store with a plan, says Dr. Rondello. Make a list of everything you need and purchase the items in the same trip instead of going to multiple stores on separate days. This reduces your exposure and helps you be more efficient, he says. Shopping during off-peak hours when stores aren’t crowded further reduces your risk of exposure to viruses. 

“Along with social distancing, you’re going to implement good infection prevention,” says Dr. Rondello. 

In other words, refrain from touching your face and wash your handsthe minute you get home.

While using public transportation

Many corporations such as Twitter, Google, and Box implemented work from home strategies in response to the current pandemic. But not everyone has the luxury of remote work—and some of these people may need to use mass transit. 

“There are times when social distancing is not going to be possible. You’re going to do the best that you can,” says Dr. Rondello. 

In a subway, bus, or train that means seeking out the place with the fewest amount of people. Again, it’s vital to pair this with all the other recommended ways to avoid getting sick: washing your hands, using hand sanitizer (in a pinch), and not touching your face. 

Now that Fitness Centers are Closed

Running and walking are great ways to stay active while getting fresh air—as long as you keep your distance. Again, the CDC recommends keeping six feet of personal space. 

It’s easy to get a full-body workout indoors using free weights, bands, or a yoga mat. 

While hanging with friends

You’re probably wondering whether you need to sacrifice socializing for the sake of the pandemic. 

“There is no wrong answer, and there is no right answer,” says Dr. Schaffner. Still, with all of the social media outlets we can still keep in touch

According to Dr. Schaffner, walking in the park with a friend is less risky than sitting in a crowded enclosed space.

Given the recent bar and restaurant closures throughout the U.S., this may be a good time to catch up with friends and family over video chat instead of dinner.

Ultimately, there are no absolutes. You simply need to weigh the benefits versus the risk and make a personal choice about which strategies you want to employ, according to Dr. Rondello. 

And remember, social distancing is about helping other individuals—not just yourself.   . .

The problem
(of which sometimes we are its main ingredient)
is that
t e m p o r a r y
FEELS
so Permanent. . .
Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst of the Day:
Even
Permanence
isn’t
permeant. . .
DISTANCE
yourself from that
and re-member:
“FEAR IS THE CHEAPEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE;
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU LIVING
IN BETTER CONDITIONS.” -HAFIZ

OUT OF THE BOX

By Leave a Comment

I M A G I N E
What would it be like
if we never
c a t e g o r i z e d
people;
If we never put them into boxes
so that we could not only
describe
define
but literally
box them up. . .

Our world has changed dramatically
over the past week
and the
c H a n G e
is not over
. . .not ever day
but ever moment
it seems to continually be
evolving in a way
at a speed
none of us have ever
e x p e r i e n c e d
illustrating in a way we’ve never known
that there is no longer
A THEM
but an
U S. . .

The World
is literally yelling for us to
S T O P
just for a little bit of
N O W
while the we come to understand
with a little discomfort
that
T E M P O R A I L Y
never is
permanently. . .
With THIS certainty:

There is no need waiting for
L O V E
to take Shape
when it is
boundlessly
Shapeless

WORRIED

By 4 Comments

ARE YOU WORRIED ?
It’s a honest question
with all that’s been cancelled
and Changed over the past
few days. . .

So. . .
are you,
ARE YOU AFRAID?

My 401K account; my retirement funds have taken a severe hit over the past month. . .
Should I be worried?

My wife and I and a great many of my friends and family fits the profile of the most at-risk list for COVID-19. . .
Should I be worried?

Our global panic led three out of five groups yesterday to cancel planned speaking engagements for later these next two months. . . Should I be worried?

What about you? Was the past couple of days terrible for you? Are you having to face the prospect of suddenly home-schooling your kids? Canceling a trip? Losing sales? Letting go of several team members? Quarantining (or hospitalizing) a family member?

Should we be worried?

There are many ways to answer the question, but in the spirit of the “novel coronavirus,” let’s try a novel approach. . .

LET’S BRING LIGHT TO WICK

Back in the late 80’s
I was working as a part-time-on-call-chaplain
at an area hospital
(which meant that I worked from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.)
and I remember
getting called in around 3:30 in the morning for a patient that was actively dying in ICU from AIDS;
he requested a chaplain
and when I arrived
I could see he was agitated and restless;
After introducing myself
I asked him the routine questions of
if he was in pain or uncomfortable;
When I asked him about family,
I could see him wince even before he said,
“I don’t have any family, they’ve disowned me.”
One simple Act:
I held his hand
I saw him look down at my hand holding his
and a tear rolled down the side of his cheek and he choked out,
“You’re the first person who’s touched me without gloves, a gown or a mask.”
His fingers squeezed mine and I squeezed back.
“Will you pray with me; I’m scared.”
I asked him what he wanted me to include in the prayer and he said,
“I don’t want to be afraid anymore; I don’t want to be sick; I don’t want my family to be ashamed of me anymore; I don’t want to go to Hell.”
Honestly. . .
I don’t remember verbatim what I prayed with him
but I know
it was the living prayer we became
for one Another
We lit each other’s
W I C K

AM I WORRIED?
I have had the blessing of working with the sick and dying
since 1977
in and out of the Church
hospital
nursing home
assisted living
home care
and in all of those years
and more,
all of those
P L A C E S
I have never been worried
about getting sick
from the sick

I sat with the family
of a former colleague who died today
and as I was providing opportunities for them to do
Life/Faith/Family we review
there were tears
there was laughter
but there was no mention
of COVID-19
like there was all around us from
Facebook, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Drudge Report, BBC, Instagram, Twitter, Apple, Google, Verizon, AT&T, the local news
but not from them;
I knew at that moment
what I’ve know from
Countless other Moments
that
THIS
is the
T H A T
that ever matters. . .
Naive?
The little kid in me
battles for my worries
but never when it comes to
this
T H A T
I’m not worried
and it’s the only
Light
that not only keeps my Candle lit,
It’s the only
thing that inspires me to share
IT

j o i n
me

Professional Speaker, Author, Assurance Man