Lessons from a Mini-Traumatic Pandemic Experience

One recent afternoon, I had a meal in a mall with my churchmate. We tried to be as safe as possible so we made sure we were socially distanced from other restaurant guests. We excitedly shared our lockdown stories, laughed over cooking mishaps, and discussed about a potential project. We wore our masks the whole time, except for the 20-minute bit when we had to eat. While eating, we still talked. After lunch, we put on our masks again. It was a new normal lunch date. Then we parted ways.


When I woke up the next morning, I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, checked text messages, and scrolled through my Facebook feed. I saw the photo of this friend of mine pop up. A lot of people were commenting on her page, which got me curious, was it her birthday and I failed to greet her?  But then, it wasn’t her birthday.  Then I read the comments:


“Gone too soon”

“Condolences”

“Our deepest sympathy”

“Praying for you and your family”

Is this a joke? I thought.  There were new comments —of condolences— coming in.  I felt sudden cold sweat all over me, too cold that I thought I would faint. We were just together yesterday. She looked very healthy. And then, now she is gone. I learned from the comments that she passed away due to stroke triggered by Covid. That same day, I started to feel an itch in my throat.


Then I woke up from my dream. What a mini-traumatic experience!


Apparently, it was all a dream (or nightmare). Thank God! It was like God was teaching me lessons but in a make-believe scenario, in a dream. Have you ever experienced dreams that teach you lessons too? Here are some things I learned:

1.  If ever you really have to meet anybody, don’t eat with them so you won’t have to take off your mask. 😅 I think it is just as lovely (and much safer) to eat together while on  video call.  Just set a nice ambience.

2. Facebook has become a bearer of good news, fake news, and most recently, bad news. During this pandemic era, most of us must have learned about the death of at least one friend through Facebook. I have learned about 6 friends’ deaths on Facebook in a span of less than 1 year. It sends shiver down the spine like a mini-traumatic experience each time. Do you feel that too?

3. Sudden death does not spare the young, the wealthy, and the healthy. It can happen to a friend like mine in the dream, or to the 29yo Jan Sy (daughter of Henry Sy Jr.), or even to you. When God says it’s our time, it’s our time.  What can you do today to make it count?  How can end this day with no regrets? Check out the top regrets of people from a study done by Pillemer, who interviewed 1,500 people.

4.  Create freedom pockets.  Although the pandemic may seem to trap us at home or in our much simpler routine of work-from-home/grocery/rest-at-home, we can create pockets of freedom. What different or interesting thing can you do within your sphere today? What 1 thing did you enjoy doing before that you can recreate today? We can analyze what had brought us energy during the pre-pandemic days and perhaps try to recreate those. You see, as an extrovert, I enjoy meeting, hanging out, and brainstorming with people. It just gives me energy. But ever since the lockdown, I suddenly had little to no experience of that. So this week, for the first time in a long time, I scheduled an online movie hangout with friends.

5. The transition from earth to heaven (or hell) is more seamless and normal than it can ever be. It is an invisible spiritual road where a lot of people pass through everyday. And we will all pass by that road. Some of us are just ahead in the journey, but we will see each other somewhere. It makes us look forward to heaven, our new home, a bit more knowing that we will get to see our loved ones who passed on ahead of us. By the way, while we who are alive feel sorry for those who passed away, I have a feeling that those who died and now have glorified body in heaven, are feeling sorry for us because we are the ones who are stuck at home with all sorts of fears.

6. Learn about other people’s problems too.  Having to stay put at home, we don’t get to see much of how other people are struggling.  We do not see the pains of the others, we only see ours.  (As we know social media paints a more colorful and beautiful life of people.) This gives us more time to focus on our own problems day in and day out. Because of this, a lot of us may feel alone, lonely, and depressed during this time. I hope that we can reach out to others more and pray for one another.

 

7. Keep a thanksgiving journal. This is actually a very simple refreshing item that you may add to your daily routine.  Having a thanksgiving journal can help create in us a perspective of thankfulness and joyfulness. Your lens would determine what your soul consumes and creates.  Will people see the fruit of joy and peace from you, or will people hear complaints?

8. Rest in God's presence. A lot of our dreams have somehow been shattered by this pandemic. With a different type of normal today, our dreams seem to be out of place and impossible to reach. (My dream back then for Mori Notes was to be visible in all leading retail channels. But now, with everything online, original dream is cancelled.) Because of the anxieties and so much uncertainties, we tend to add more things onto our plate, work more, and tire ourselves as a result. Let me remind you that it is okay to rest. It is actually good to rest. Rest, because God is at work even while you rest. Rest, because everything out of your control is within God's control. Rest, because only when we are rested in God can we find the meaningful work we ought to do.

How are you all coping during this time? If you would like to share your prayer request, feel free to email me at mitziuy@gmail.com.