We are living history right now.
The COVID-19 pandemic and everything that has come with it has been so unprecedented that the word "unprecedented" has begun to lose all meaning.
As Canadians, we face a dual public health and economic crisis the scale of which none of us have endured in our lifetimes.
It is scary and stressful. The rise of misinformation and false narratives around what is happening is equally unnerving for those trying to navigate these unusual waters.
A year from now, when we look back at what transpired during this period, will we be able to hold our heads up high with the knowledge we did the right thing even if it was difficult, or will we be faced with the reality of our behaviours and how they affected others?
How we react to our circumstances right now will reflect upon us into the future.
There are those who need someone to blame for what is happening. This is not the most productive way to respond, but speaks to our need for accountability.
As our elected officials at all levels try and lead us through this uncharted territory, they are going to make mistakes. This is our nature, as humans, to pursue directions we feel are the right thing to do, only to find out afterwards the effects of our actions were unsuccessful.
When we make it through this, there will be time to look back and analyze what worked, what didn’t and why. But while we are in the midst of responding to this crisis, now may not be the best time for this exercise, or provide a fulsome analysis of the circumstances.
For those who had to close their doors during this second lockdown and are at risk of possibly losing their business, or have laid off their staff right before Christmas – it will be tempting to point to those less affected by the restrictions and demand they too must suffer like you are.
It certainly will feel unfair and arbitrary that decisions were made at a political level by provincial leaders to shut down one sector while allowing another to continue to operate.
Would we deny others a job, just because we lost ours? Do we demand other workplaces shut down, because ours were not allowed to stay open?
We are being asked to spend Christmas this year away from families and friends, but within our own households. This is going to be difficult, but it could also be an opportunity.
That opportunity is to take stock over the next few weeks of what is beyond and what is within our control. We are not in control of how governments manage this crisis, but we are in control of how we feel about it and how we react to it.
If our reactions are based in anger and fear, they will compound the problems we face. If we choose to focus on compassion and understanding, we create space for meaningful dialogue and building relationships.
If you feel overwhelmed – you are not alone. It is hard to pinpoint another historic event in our collective histories that has had the kind of effect we are experiencing right now.
One of the best gifts this holiday season we can all give to ourselves and others is to provide that space to feel overwhelmed.
That might look like it taking or providing additional time for things to get done. It could look like pausing before publishing an angry comment or rant on social media because you are frustrated and disagree with another person's point of view.
Because when this is all over and we look back at how this crisis was handled, whether at a government or individual level, will we regret our actions or inaction? Or will we be able to say we did the best we could with the information we had available at the time.
