These last several months in the United States where I live have been extremely stressful for everyone. Quarantining has brought out the best in some people and the worst in many. Incidents of domestic violence have increased significantly as most people have been asked to stay at home. And not only have millions of people lost their jobs, but the number of people who’ve died from COVID-19 in my country has surpassed 100,500.
If the coronavirus outbreak wasn’t hard enough, the most recent attacks against our Black siblings, including Tony McDade, a trans man in Florida, have just been heartbreaking. We must all do our part to stand against racism and hatred every time we see it. It’s way past time for it to end.
For many of us, there is so much sadness, fear, anger, and frustration in the events happening in the United States and all around the world. It can be hard to know how we can best take care of ourselves so we’re able to take care of each other and make a difference in this world.
What are some things that you do for self-care? A couple of things I do is read good books, watch some shows I like, and play pickleball. Walking our new rescue dog out in nature is a huge plus too. My partner enjoys listening to and playing music. She’s also gotten into playing LPs and has started a collection. She writes and paints, and we both enjoy doing puzzles. These are all small things given all that’s happening in the world but they bring us joy, and that’s still important.
Whatever you do to take care of yourself in these times, just make sure you do. You are invaluable. Reach out to your Kinship family whenever you need support. We all need to take care of ourselves and each other. This is how we keep moving forward so that we can make a difference in this world.
Yolanda Elliott
President
SDA Kinship Int., Inc.