In general a large percentage of the population is rather resistant to change, yet in late March we weren’t given a choice. Over the past weeks the world as we knew it changed quite dramatically. Instead of being able to go about our daily lives doing all that was normal for us we’ve had to adjust to the deprivation of our many comforting rituals. We have had to learn to accept that life will probably never be the same as it was a couple of months ago.

Now that’s okay in a way because life changes all the time — it’s just that the changes are usually small and often go unnoticed. This time however we haven’t had the chance to do anything gradually as one day we were going through life as usual and the next day that all changed.

That’s very much like the sudden death of a loved one — grief is the result. So I suppose in a way most of us have been grieving for the life we’ve just lost. We’ve had to learn to adjust to restrictions and loss of freedom and with that can come fear and anxiety alongside the grief for what we lost.

After seven or so weeks of limited contact with the world — well for those of us who don’t have jobs to go to, or whose jobs have been halted — that’s the way it is. Some have the luxury of still going to work, albeit restricted still in many ways, but not such a drastic change for them. Others have had their sanctuaries — their homes altered by having to work from home or to be home-schooling children. Vastly different from the norm. Many are discovering just how wonderful the teachers are doing the job that they do. Tempers have been frayed with extended close proximity to those we often only spent real time with on weekends or evenings.

Massive changes for many of us and sadly some are suffering greatly because of the isolation. I am really looking forward to the day I can go out and have a coffee sitting in a cafe with my friends who I can hug if I choose to. At least we are expecting that someday — hopefully in the not too distant future — we will be able to do that. Unlike the permanent departure of that loved one where we have to come to terms with never seeing them again, to talk or hug, and know that they are there.

So we’ve had to transition to this new way of life yet we still — most of us have our devices to connect digitally and have our virtual coffee catch-ups. The transition with grieving for the loss of a loved one is a much slower process, yet eventually we become more accustomed to a life without them. But in both instances we have no real idea what life will be like in another few months. How is your transition evolving?

#copingsuicide #thoughtleader