What Would Love Do?

Before I get to my main topic of today’s post I just have to say…

These ranunculus flowers!

Their papery thin petals and layers and layers of petals mesmerize me. A small bouquet of them are providing endless enjoyment as I photograph them and paint them to my heart’s delight.

Now back to my planned blog topic…

What Would Love Do?

There’s a lot going on in our world. New things are popping up every day and many of us are keeping one ear tuned to hear the latest news about the spread of covid-19.

For the past week or so I’ve felt the anxiety growing all around me. Newscasters project it in their nightly news casts. People exhibit it in the grocery stores. And I feel it myself as I ponder what to do as the world reels with the impact of covid-19. My inner voice has been telling me for some time to prepare for “interesting times.” And now it seems the interesting times have arrived.

Yesterday felt like a tipping point for me. I went from thinking about what might happen to seeing it happening all around me — schools closing, events cancelled, and churches closing in my city. I cancelled a monthly meeting I facilitate and decided to discontinue physical therapy appointments for a few weeks.

Amidst the growing clamor of news and advice on how to stay safe I remember to ask myself, “What would love do?”

Fill up and hang around

A spiritual teacher once told me, “The most important thing you can do is fill up and hang around.” It’s like the instructions we receive on an airplane about oxygen masks, “Put on your own oxygen mask first so that you can assist those who rely on your help.” This seems like sensible advice any time, but especially now.

I couldn’t believe how hard it was for me to cancel appointments and meetings that I had planned. A little voice in my head said that I was being overly paranoid. But then I realized that if all of us curtailed unnecessary interactions with others, that we could indeed help “flatten the curve” of this virus so that more people might survive and get needed treatment.

One of my daughters is a nurse. She recently transitioned from hands-on nursing in a St. Paul hospital into a supervisory position. But still, she’s in the hospital regularly and will undoubtedly be exposed to the virus. She told me of some of her concerns and how she’s dealing with them. It reminds me to give thanks to all of those brave souls who care for the sick and elderly and those in need. They are on the front lines and know the risks that they face doing their jobs. And still they do them because they care about people.

This is not a time for panic. But it is a time to consider, what would love do, for yourself and for others. Please treat yourself with self-compassion. And treat others with compassion. Almost everyone is doing the best that they can. Take care of yourself and find practices that help you stay calm.

Permission Granted to…

• Cancel appointments or plans and stay away from places people gather
• Purchase needed supplies to take care of you and your loved ones for 2-3 weeks
• Work from home if you can
• Get plenty of sleep and eat healthy nutritious food
• Go outside and get some fresh air
• Move your body in ways that feel good
• Not go out if you don’t feel well
• Do something creative that helps fill you up
• Take time for self-care, stress relief, meditation, and prayer
• Connect with friends and loved ones on the phone, through face-time, and other ways
• Notice beauty around you
• Limit checking on news of the virus to once a day
• Spend time in nature
• Find ways to be grateful for all that you have, even in these challenging times

And if you are having difficulty coping, reach out for help. The only way out is through. Let us take this opportunity to lovingly care for ourselves and those in need. Let us all ask ourselves, “What would love do?” and then do it.

May you walk in beauty.