With everything going on in the world, of course we needed to toss a global pandemic on top of it all. This brought a serious case of FOMO over things I never thought I would think twice about; AKA I'm seriously missing chips & queso, but also the simple daily things like having somewhat of a schedule to follow and leaving the house; I was actually missing that stupid alarm that I usually cursed on a daily basis, even though I was able to finish Netflix in my time at home. You win some, you lose some.
A lot of us were struggling with what, let's be real, were minor inconveniences, while a significant percentage of the population had bigger things on their plates. Let's not even figure in the essential personnel who were required to leave their houses every day; I want us to talk about the forgotten for a minute. The kids, the lovers, the spouses that lost their source of escape during quarantine. It's crazy to think that school or a job may be something that people actually look forward to, but for a lot of people, it's their only safe haven. Warning, sh*t's about to get heavy...
Our home is supposed to be our safe space; we walk around without pants and eat ice cream right out of the tub here, but for some, home is the place where their world falls apart and they are forced to endure unspeakable things. While you were on the couch (proud of you for getting out of the bed) telling yourself you don't need another trip to the fridge, a kid was praying for schools to open back up so they had a hot meal and someone to notice they needed help. The person who finally built up the courage to say "Today is the day I leave", was told "Stay inside no matter what." We were complaining about another Zoom meeting, while someone was looking for any glimmer of hope to get them through another day with the worst thing that's ever happened to them.
This post is for everyone who has been fighting to keep afloat and for anyone who has a person in their life that's in that situation...basically, this is for all of us. Realistically, we can't always know if the people in our lives are going through hell, but we should all be prepared to help if someone reaches out for a lifesaver. I know you're probably a little panicked right now; I just laid some super real sh*t out there and now I'm telling you to be a damn Marvel Superhero (don't @ me DC people). Before you start Googling "anxiety relief techniques", hear me out.
To those fighting, please know you are not alone. To everyone else, get off Instagram for 5 seconds and offer a hand. I want you to simply check in on people. I know your phone has fused to your skin at this point, so make the call or text to see if people are OK. They may not let you in on what they feel is their "dirty little secret", but knowing that someone out there cares if they are even alive can make all the difference sometimes. Even though it seems like the world is back to normal, a lot of people are still at home with their abuser. Please don't let returning to your regularly scheduled programming distract you from those in need. We have to start loving others the way we want to be loved. This world is far too big for anyone to feel like they are alone in their darkest hour.
If you are in need of help or resources check out https://www.loveisrespect.org/for-yourself/i-live-with-abuser/ and always call 911 if you are in an emergency.
