Not Coronavirus Pandemic Specific, but Certainly Coronavirus Pandemic Relevant

It's often said the anticipation is better than the actual reward... well, in a similar vein, the worry is often more detrimental to the human doing the worrying than the actual debacle we were worrying about.

At the end of each day everyone who can say they spent their day praying for peace but were ready for war will be on the right track here. Let's say this is worse than the worst case scenarios... does worrying change the outcome at all? Does it do anything to you beneficial? Which can you control, the wind or your own worries?

Be safe out there, all of you. I've grown sort of fond of each one of you, even the ones who probably think I dislike you... I don't. At the very least the ones who really think I can't stand them are important to me because their tears sustain me. (Kidding... if we ever lose brevity, then we've truly lost more than anyone could ever bear to lose.)

No hugs and kisses because we're living in the Times of Social Distancing, so smooching sounds and index finger of right hand through A-OK sign on left hand all around.

At the end of every meeting we say that prayer, kinda like saying Gods in charge,I’m not.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France
we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender

Winston Churchill

a reply to: burdman30ott6

I could be reminded of this everyday.

I thought you were all bile. I've misjudged you.

That is a very good saying in the OP.

Worry about things you can do something about and not things you have no control over. You can be a hermit in your area for a couple of weeks if lots of people are getting sick. Worry about being prepared, not of this virus, we cannot do anything about the virus right now except take precautions to avoid exposure or contacting the virus.

Another good saying is "there is nothing to fear but fear itself". But that does not mean you can be stupid and ignorant of precautions. Risk assessment is necessary to prosper in all ways. But evidently risk assessment is bad for the economy they are promoting.

originally posted by: DictionaryOfExcuses
I thought you were all bile. I've misjudged you.

For the most part I am bile, but I'm an Archie Bunker level of bile, hopefully still lovable despite being frequently grouchy.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

Be safe out there, all of you. I've grown sort of fond of each one of you, even the ones who probably think I dislike you... I don't. At the very least the ones who really think I can't stand them are important to me because their tears sustain me. (Kidding... if we ever lose brevity, then we've truly lost more than anyone could ever bear to lose.)

Burd... Does this mean we're finally going to hug it out?

( Also - same goes to anyone who reads this. You and your well being matters even if we disagree. Now back to hugging burd.... )

Eh, I'm pretty sure most all of us will be here when the dust settles if not all of us.

But I appreciate and understand the sentiment all the same. God's peace go with all of you in the days to come. If He is with you, then nothing can bring you down.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

I agree with this, but I also understand that nothing we do means anything. That is what you mean right?

Fatalism seems fitting, maybe we deserve to die.

a reply to: Jonjonj

Not at all.

It just means the only thing in our control is ourself and our own actions. Everything else is beyond that. Worrying about whether or not we run across this virus and get it? It serves no purpose. All you can do is take what actions you can to avoid it. Those precautions have been told to you over and over. You follow them as best you can, but worrying beyond that? It's a fool's errand. You can't control others. You can't control a virus. You can't control what government will or won't do. Those are things not in your control.

Not at all.

It just means the only thing in our control is ourself and our own actions. Everything else is beyond that.

Surely, in this politically controlled world it means the same.


a reply to: ketsuko

originally posted by: Hefficide
Burd... Does this mean we're finally going to hug it out?

What? No, no hugs in 2020...


Just take care of yourself.
and send nudes

a reply to: burdman30ott6

A quote from Chesty Puller when he was told that he and his men were surrounded.

“We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem.”

originally posted by: Jonjonj
a reply to: burdman30ott6

I agree with this, but I also understand that nothing we do means anything. That is what you mean right?

Fatalism seems fitting, maybe we deserve to die.

No, you missed the point entirely. There are things in this universe above our pay grade and outside of our control, yes. Thankfully a virus with a several percent mortality rate is not a massive asteroid aligned to directly strike Earth or any other extinction level event... it's a very nasty bug. On individual levels you and I cannot change what the stock market does, we cannot change how many people get infected with Coronavirus, we cannot change anything BUT how we, as individuals, approach these matters.

Allowing our society to collapse into pandemonium would qualify as fatalism...

Read the following essay this morning
about our collective experience through this pandemic.
Beautifully written
I can't put a finger on where to place it
so here it is, by Charles Eisenstein

charleseisenstein.org...

I have no idea where I first heard it, but:

"Fear often outruns its cause."

I kinda like folks on ATS too. I think we all get a bit frustrated in normal circumstances, and these arent particularly normal..

Ill probably just keep on yammering about the things I feel are important, and do my best to remain respectful and even friendly. Verbose though, definitely that too.

On a personal note, I think maybe when I talk with people about being homebound now.. They might understand a bit more about how difficult that can truly be. It really can be tough, especially for those of us that were used to being very active.

Its perhaps childish, but I just want everyone to be ok and thrive. I think we can help each other achieve that.