How are you coping with COVID?My answers are pretty specific: Alcoholics Anonymous Program and God. I have been spending my time trying to focus on bettering myself and being of service to God and my fellows. I still attend one meeting per day and one hour a day of service to another alcoholic – on Zoom rather than in person. I try to be as helpful as I can to my family. I have been reading, writing, cooking, doing yoga, swimming and taking walks. I am trying to stay informed on the progress of the pandemic but not spending ALL my time obsessing over the negative. I try and turn my thoughts away from fear and toward positivity, gratitude and faith.
What have your learned from the “Shelter in Place” order?
That with God anything and everything is possible. That God truly gave us all free will and some people are getting a little crazy with it. Most of all, community can be fostered without physically being present with each other.
What surprises you most during this time of the pandemic?
I am surprised how easy it is for me. I always thought that I was an undisciplined person, but this pandemic has showed that when my reliance is on God, I am capable of self-sacrificing for the needs of others. The pandemic exposed society’s moral inventory and some chose to raise their voices against oppression and advocate for change in the world.
