Are You Covid Sad?
I woke up with a deep sadness, I didn’t have a specific reason, it just hung on me like a cloak. Dean is working back at the office, but I shouldn’t be that sad. I put worship music on while getting ready, trying to shake off the funk I was in. I started to cry and that broke the damn. I mean it was ugly, ugly crying. It lasted a couple of songs and while I felt silly, I also felt lighter.
Birthdays by Zoom!
During that week I kept coming across the word lament. I finally had a word to describe what had happened. Lament is defined as a passionate expression of grief and sorrow. David wrote a lot of Psalms as a lament. There is a time for lamenting, grieving and sadness.
I think we all have been grieving something during this pandemic. Some may be able to verbalize the sadness, while some may just know that they feel sad. Then we can feel guilty as we think, ”Others are worse off than me.” … “What do I have to be sad about?”
Let’s give ourselves permission to be sad and grieve what we have lost. Maybe something we have been looking forward to; the freedom and normalcy of life; connecting with and physically hugging our people; a lost job…or fill in the blank. The reasons are vast and we shouldn’t put them on a grading scale. Loss is loss. We need to extend grace to ourselves to feel the feelings, as well to others and give them space to walk through their grief.
There are practical things we can do to help with our sadness. For me, these things tend to help:
* The “Try Something New” Challenge. It’s actually been fun and…nerve-wracking. I can bake a few things well, but overall the whole baking experience can give me agita. Stepping out in this way has been therapeutic…and at times victorious and delish!
* Get physical. Doing something, even it’s just going for a walk, can get us out of our head. We have found a couple of places around us that I like to walk and Dean runs. With it getting hotter here in Texas, and heat is a no-go for me (thank you MS and Lupus) I have been doing some Popsugar Fitness videos. They have all levels and types of exercises. Check it out.
* Listening to podcasts or audio books can get us thinking about more than just us. Hearing other’s stories and maybe a different perspective on something can open our hearts and minds to the world around us. I bounce around but some of my favs are: “Suffer Strong Podcast”; “That Sounds Fun with Annie F Downs”; “The Grove Podcast”; “WHOA That’s Good Podcast” and “Dream Big Podcast”.
* Getting some projects off the to-do list can do amazing things for our overall well-being. One thing we tackled was the attic and garage. Every time I walk in there I can breathe and the “ugh” feeling is gone…win!!!!
* Music! Whether it’s worship to help us look up to our Living, Loving God or a good ‘ole-fashioned dance party. Turn it up!!
* Celebrate! Life in all it’s small and big moments are worth celebrating. It may not be the way you would have done it, but DO SOMETHING!
* Connect with someone outside of your house. We can social distance together, zoom or have a phone conversation (remember those?).
While God is powerful we need to remember that He knows our weaknesses and loves us.
Psalm 63:7 says “For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy.”
I hope you have a great day!
All my love ~ Jodi xoxo
If you are dealing with severe depression or anxiety, Please! Call someone and ask for help!
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