What's behind the record cases of COVID-19 in Florida?
Where are the masks? Photo credit: United Nations COVID-19 Response on Unsplash
When the lockdown started in South Florida I had already been in quarantine two weeks prior. I had recently arrived from Italy and was concerned if I was incubating coronavirus. Thank G-d nothing happened to me, or my family, but just at the moment I thought maybe I could go out, we all received the government quarantine orders. I did not leave my home.
Life went on, while indoors, and I started functioning with a mix of empathy and fear. Together, I felt, we could make a difference to flatten the curve, but there was still this fear feeling of getting this virus, which doctors said they knew little about—they didn’t know how to treat it either.
The recent record cases of COVID-19, in early July, brings to mind those days when the first lockdown was announced—we all thought Florida was going through a tough time. Now, with more than 11,000 cases reported in just a day, the situation is so much worse.
After seeing the rising cases of COVID-19 in Miami, I am wondering what is my best choice. After a few weeks of being able to leave my home for small errands, and sometimes go out for an outdoor meal at a restaurant that has outdoor service, should I quarantine myself again?
We wear all the possible PPE, we can eat super healthy, take vitamins, meditate, and do everything we can to boost our immunologic system, our minds, and our souls—but we have no idea how this virus will develop in each of us. We can stay home and not move from there, but is that the correct answer? Is there a correct answer?
What is happening to the behavior of our society? Denial, fear, defiance?
While I walked through Miami this past week, I encountered careless individuals who were not wearing masks or wearing them below their noses, and doing so in large groups. They look at the short immediate satisfaction and they do not focus on long-term goals. I feel they are in a “me” moment instead of a “we” moment—they are not focused on our common future as a whole.
I feel our relationships, at this moment, are like a kid wanting candy. I recognize that, including myself, we are all looking forward to a moment of personal interaction, a hug, a smile, a kiss, a loving or rewarding phrase, a sentence of inclusion and collaboration… and so much more. But after seeing many people gather recklessly during this time, I wonder whether COVID-19 cases are rising because people not only need to connect with others—no matter what—but also because they need to leave their lives in solitude.
If this is the case, then what relationship do they have with themselves?
I would like to ask you all a few questions and please check what resonates with you:
What is your mindset in the present moment? What is your feeling of the current situation? What is your attitude toward social-distancing rules? What is the role of empathy at this moment? How can we do our part to benefit the whole?
How content and supported are we with ourselves that we need, during this public health crisis, more and more from others?
Our internal narrative is critical when it comes to our thoughts, behaviors, and actions. If our energy is positive, then we will have constructive behaviors and actions. If our energy is negative, we will have more accentuated fears, worries, or denial and conflict. The conclusion of negative energy is self-destructive in the long run. Making a conscious choice, and setting boundaries, will help us engage in constructive habits that will offer a new open window for us all to move forward.
If the lockdown made us “reset,” then let it include restarting our first relationship, the one we have with ourselves. Why? Because the relationship we have with ourselves is a mirror of our relationship with others. If we develop constructive behaviors for ourselves, then we will have responsible behaviors when it comes to those around us.
