The uncertainty founded in the pandemic has been in my thoughts lately. Today when chatting with a colleague, I was reminded that the things I miss doing most are mired in layers of choice. Can we be involved in activities that had been shut down -- visiting, traveling, dining in restaurants, going to concerts and such? How safe are these and the altered formats offered recently? Are we ready to embrace the risk? So many different levels of concern exist. Living with the chronic uncertainty can be debilitating. When reminded of the role choice plays, I realized that this is part of the determinants of health. People with greater ability to make choices in their lives tend to rate their overall health higher than those less able to make personal choices. I do realize that the current public health situation is not a personal choice, but a broader societal choice. For this reason, public health ordinances direct acceptable public activity.
Much of my pondering looked at the health impact of lack of choice. Through research, these situations have been linked to increased chronic disease risk, greater chance of poor mental health, and less functional immune systems. This points to the possibility that there will be longer term health sequelae to address on the other side. I expect this will be less frightening than the virus has been, but it means health care systems will need to adapt.
As I pondered all of this further -- or as the day wore on <smile> -- it became clear that choices do exist. I can choose not to be the victim in this narrative. I can choose to recognize the moments of joy that arrive each day. I can choose to be present in the days and not wish my life away (the advice I had from a friend who lived to be 100). It all comes down to recognizing that I do have choices -- they haven't all been overtaken by the pandemic. Practicing the positive is challenging. It does not mean dismissing emotions. Instead, it involves acknowledging all emotions, sitting with them and then moving on. That is by no means a simple process, but one that is well worth the effort.
Living in the Moment -- Jason Mraz
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