I must apologise for taking long without posting articles on this page. I have not been well since April 2021. It has reminded me of the unpredictability of life- one moment I was as fit as a fiddle and then a few days later I was lying in a hospital bed. Generally, medical doctors do not make the best patients due to the reversal of the roles and knowing what they know. We are human too!
What made the situation more complex is that we are in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and are restricted by the Lockdown. Here in Uganda, the new cases are on the rise and so are the deaths.
From the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Centre, as of the 30 th July 2021:
Global confirmed cases were 197,462,343 and the Global deaths were 4,211,491
UGANDA as of 30th July 2021:
Confirmed cases were 93, 675- We cannot afford Mass testing.
The deaths were 2,661
Doses of Corona virus vaccine administered were 1,143,763
People fully vaccinated ( received the 2 doses of the Astra Zeneca Corona virus Vaccine)were 4,129
Percentage of the population fully vaccinated were 0.01%
For anyone who is 60+, this is not the best time to be lying in a hospital bed if you can help it.
Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 Respiratory Disease, having taken my second dose of Astra Zeneca vaccine in early May. There is still some uncertainty as the virus keeps changing rapidly; forming new variants that spread fast in a community.
Like any other individual, I have continued to lose relatives, friends and colleagues. This has drained me emotionally.
It has been extremely tough on me to fall sick during the Lockdown, my children and friends cannot visit me though we talk regularly on the phone . I miss the direct human connection.
The psychologists tell us that lack of human connection can be more harmful to our health than smoking and high blood pressure. Lack of human connection causes anxiety and depression. Meaningful human connection helps us regulate our emotions. Once we can regulate our emotions, our self-esteem and empathy increase, making our Immune system function better. A functional Immune system protects us from recurrent infections and reduces our risk to develop cancer.
Within this limited human connection , I have had to make the most of what is available for me:
- The few loved ones around me
- Nature
- Books
- Communication- video calls and webinars
Exercising out in the open has its health benefits but it also serves as a distraction from the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic which seems to be unending.
I have had to ‘’slow down and smell the roses’’ as the old adage demands of me. Spending a lot of time with nature has sharpened my five senses of touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. It has also stretched my imagination and made me more creative.
Allow me to share some of the photos that I have taken of the environment around me. I now understand my position in the universe better and my responsibility to conserve and preserve the environment for future generations.
Waking up to a lush green view like this wakes up all your senses thus preparing you for the day.
I found these two Japanese proverbs useful and relevant to my situation.
- It is the same life whether we spend it laughing or crying.
- Be not afraid of going slowly. Be afraid of standing still.
Last but not least, those who read the Bible know the famous verses in Matthew chapter 6 verse 34 :
‘’So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles which each day brings.’’
I have learned to live one day at a time; savoring each moment and making the most of it. It has helped to reduce the stress in my life thus increasing my physical, mental and emotional well-being during these uncertain times.
QUESTION :
Has the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty taught you to invest in the Present- cherishing what you have in that moment in time?
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