COVID-19, a word that causes multiple emotions to arise in anyone who hears it.

Fear, sadness, anger, insecurity, loneliness, and the list can go on and on. It’s everywhere. It has taken over all social media platforms, newspapers, magazines, and the world. A day barely goes by without hearing about the devastation that the coronavirus has created in our world. But, I, for one, am trying to make a conscious effort to not let it dictate my lifestyle.

The virus has brought this fast-paced world to a standstill. It has brought the loudest and busiest metropolises down to the knees of silence. As a human race, we feel helpless and panic at the lack of control we have over this silent threat. When we sleep at night, the fear lingers in the back of our heads wondering when will it be knocking at our doorsteps.

The human race has begun to fear every step we take. We panic buy, fearing isolation. We lash out at others because we feel a lack of control within ourselves and the outside world. We hear of loved ones dying while never being able to hold them and be with them during their last breath. The pain is real. The fear of the unknown is real.

Will we allow fear to control us?

This new way of life has our heads reeling. To be “grounded” to our houses is quite a shocker, and I’m sure shocking for home-dwelling introverts as well. The virus has turned people’s worlds upside down, some more than others, but no matter, the uncomfortable change is here.

Will we fight it or learn to roll with the punches?

Being an empath, it’s even stranger when communicating with people. I connect with them more, on an energetic level, by reading and feeling the energies that they emit. That’s how I really listen and understand someone. My mind fights with my heart to find an acceptable response without being able to see someone’s full face and their radiating smile. This is so far from human nature; it feels as if it’s beginning to tear us apart. It’s become quite a struggle coping with the COVID-19 fear among us. Some just stand there awkwardly with their hands folded across their body, subconsciously blocking out the virus, wondering if they are conforming to the mandated six-foot distance.

How do we get past this awkward human interaction?

What I have learned amongst the silence in the storm is that there is still abundance and adventure even in the hardest of times. After turning off social media, shutting down the TV, and just sitting in my own quiet isolation, the silence begins to speak.

In the silence, I begin to reflect on my life and reevaluate my priorities. Now is the time to embrace the slower pace, embrace the quiet. We can move forward and become happier if we don’t fight the change that was thrust upon us. I’ve chosen to jump on social media less frequently because of the bombardment of panic, fear, hate, and anger. (Hell, I think those are the same words in a mainstream news stations’ mission statement; panic, fear, hate, and anger. That’s how you keep the masses controlled, right?)

The silence has helped me to slow down and go inward, reconnect with my spirituality through meditation and reading. It’s helping me strengthen my core belief system to help me stay strong through any struggles that may lie ahead. It will help me to eradicate any doubt or despair that might try and creep into my heart and soul. The silence speaks of strength and connection to the universe.

I will admit, the one thing that has kept my soul strong during this pandemic is to travel. I have never been the caged-bird type, and I have been traveling through the shutdowns and restrictions.

Of course, safety and precaution were at the top of my list. My car is loaded down with hand sanitizer and homemade masks (many masks because I am really good at losing them). I researched everywhere I was going, and what cities I would be driving through, just so I could respectfully adhere to their local regulations. It really isn’t hard to adjust to the different regulations that each jurisdiction might have, or what rules each store has implemented. I wear my mask and use the sanitizer wherever I need to—because the destination and my freedom are the rewards.

My rewards: viewing the top of the world from Engineer Pass in Colorado, traipsing through the evergreen woods of Central Oregon (I may or may not have been looking for Sasquatch!), climbing the red sand arches of Moab, and the grueling Manitou Incline in Colorado (bucket list checked), kayaking the serene rivers of Idaho, and more.

Just because one door may be closed doesn’t mean that there is not another door opening.

If we maintain tunnel vision through life, we will never be fully open to the magic that surrounds us and the adventures and happiness the universe provides for us to enjoy.

What adventures or silver lining have you come across during the shutdowns of the pandemic?

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