There is certainly no shortage of topics to think about so far this year. How do we move forward? Do you have hope on some days and other days, not so much. Do you look away when news about Washington D.C. pops up on media. The news may be emotionally triggering for you. “doom scrolling.” According to Urban Dictionary, Doom scrolling is When you keep scrolling through all of your social media feeds, looking for the most recent upsetting news about the latest catastrophe. The amount of time spent doing this is directly proportional to how much worse you’re going to feel after you’re done. That definition makes sense to me.
Can 2021 be a year of recovery and healing? I think it can be, although we may have to continue to work hard to move towards healing. We have to continue(or start) to take it day by day. Sometimes, minute by minute. What comforts you? Music, a show, texting with a friend, a walk outside, a shower? Poetry is on our minds this year and this project, https://www.npr.org/2021/01/28/960688815/this-is-our-dream-a-crowdsourced-poem-to-inspire-hope takes a line written by different folks and puts it all together to nudge us in the direction of hope.
Do we have the patience to continue to support each other? Patience is managing expectations through a new prism, and seeing the opportunity from that view. Too fast, too soon is a recipe for more disasters.— Tom Lowry