PANDEMIC PART 5: DEPRESSION 9-20-2020

                     

Pandemic Part 5: Depression

I live in an assisted living. We still cannot leave the grounds, except for medical appointments.

Visitors can visit but, by appointment only and visits are outside or in the lobby with a partisan separating the resident and visitor(s).

This Coronavirus has thrown this world and the people in it, into a rollercoaster of events and emotions.

Today’s political climate has separated families, friends and even this country, the United States of America. Politics has become a filthy game of lies, deceit, outrageous behaviors and constant reminders of how the country should never, ever have become.

Coupled with several hurricanes, California wild fires and other disasters that are hitting this country hard, Climate change has become the #1 issue for not only the people living in the United States, but  for the world.

So, so many people are in distressing pain, suffering the loss of life, loss of their homes, loss of their livelihood, their health, and, also being deprived of the basics like clean water, food and other necessities that are needed to adequately live today.

This leaves me feeling helpless, depressed and frustrated.

I give to causes like this when I can, where I can and if I can.

I do not watch the news anymore.

This is not because I don’t care what happens, but, my friends it is just the opposite.

All this suffering has gotten into me, causing me to have meltdowns, feel disinterested in people and activities I love. I have become depressed, feeling sick, exhausted, weak and totally wiped out!

My sleep had become erratic, disrupted with continual bouts of waking up during the night.

Yes, my friends, I have even been experiencing epic dreams and frightening, disturbing nightmares.

I have become traumatized, needing to get back to simplicity and some form of normalcy and consistency.

I’m grateful to God for what I do have and that my basic needs are met.

I’m filled with thankfulness and appreciation for all the people who help me in this journey of my Life.

I’m overwhelmed with gracious gratitude for my family and my friends, those who go above and beyond calling me, checking up on me and visiting me.

I’m overcome with love for my church family, whom meeting in a church building is not an option right now. We, as a church, get together on ZOOM a few times a week. The people of my church, also, ensure the spiritual and emotional wellness all of us, who make up our church family.

Yes, I do have so much to be grateful for.

I try not to look towards tomorrow and I definitely avoid watching the news, which are steps I’ve recently taken to ensure my own emotional wellness.

I am scared, yes, but, I choose love and gratitude as a way to live and go on.

Today, as in every day, I’m putting my trust in God.

On this day in September, I gaze towards the Heavens as I pray!

I pray with all my being, asking my Lord for safety and protection for myself, for those precious people I love and am I’m close to and, also, praying for the entirety of Humankind.

I pray with passion, love and a never ceasing need to have a closeness with Jesus.

As I continue on in my Journey of my Life, it is Jesus who picks me up when I stumble.

It is Jesus who dusts me off and places me on the Path close to Him, where I’m safe, protected and loved!

Evelyn Pinto

September 20, 2020

 

 

*After I wrote this script, I and the other residents of the assisted living where I live, were given the freedom to go out, whether it be with family, go shopping at stores or be with friends who live outside our residence.

I’m extremely careful both, when I go out and when I return. I take every/all precautions to be safe, whether it be wearing a mask all the time when I am out, social distance and keeping my hands, my clothes and myself clean.

I also encourage others to practice these safety measure as well

And I pray!      

My friends, be well, be safe and be careful!

Love and prayers,

                          Evelyn