An Unpopular View Of My Response To COVID-19

My views on COVID-19 have drawn somewhat of an unpopular response by some lately. While the rest of the world around me has been self-quarantining more and more, I have continued to do my best to keep serving, doing my recovery work, meeting with those who truly still need human contact and help, volunteering where I’m still allowed, and having one-on-one interactions where I can with people in need. While I am also doing my best to do the social distancing, washing hands, etc., a number have wondered if this is still being reckless, selfish, and risking the health and lives of others. I pondered this quite a bit in recent weeks and felt my Spirit answer.

Did Christ or his disciples ever avoid putting themselves in places where the sick and ailing were? Did Mother Teresa? Martin Luther? St. Francis? These are just a few of the many selfless individuals who put the needs of others in front of themselves.

Each of these individuals are heroes to me and walked a spiritual path I’m doing my best to follow these days. Take Martin Luther for example. He lived during a time when the bubonic plague had come to his hometown of Wittenberg, Germany. As that disease continued to kill and spread rapidly, he remained there to tend to the sick and ailing, to be of loving support, while the majority fled in fear, leaving many of their own behind who were sick and dying. Martin Luther stressed his reason for that was the importance of caring for his neighbor. He emphasized the gift that came in serving in this way, and cited Jesus and Paul many-a-times as those who came before him who did the same.

So, now as we live in a world where people are becoming so afraid of how long this virus is going to last, where there are still far too many unknowns, where grossly exaggerated rumors of this virus pervade our common language daily, where so much of it seems out of everyone’s control, and where the news continues to raise the fears more and more everyday, many are turning to addictions to cope, are feeling hopeless, and getting depressed, where talking on the phone or doing video chats either hasn’t helped much or at all.

Like the sick need doctors and nurses to attend to them in person, I’m a firm believer that human beings in general, especially addicts of any kind, need the same. Like Martin Luther and his inspirations of Christ and Paul, each could have contracted the diseases they came in contact with or even spread it themselves. But, they had faith in their spiritual mission. They felt a conviction to help the sick and they trusted God enough to guide them through all they did, including keeping them and others safe. And I feel the same, doing the best I can do to keep safety precautions, but still reaching out and helping nonetheless.

I’ve been around a number of people lately who were grateful I was still willing to put myself out there, to be with them, to talk about recovery, or to simply give them some loving support and company. This past week I was at Rescue Crisis and held a meeting there for the clients, where I saw one individual have a spiritual breakthrough, where tears flowed from their eyes, all because of the love they felt in the recovery meeting that was held.

The fact is, while I respect science and medicine and the precautions for this virus itself, I have a faith that helps me to do this work. But look, I’m not an idiot either. If I was to become sick for any reason, I also trust enough that my Higher Power would want me to take care of myself, to self-quarantine like others, and to remain that way until I’m better. In the meantime though, I just can’t imagine someone like Jesus, or any of his disciples, or Martin Luther, or Mother Theresa, or anyone else who has ever followed a Higher Calling like they did, letting the fear of the Coronavirus prevent them from doing the spiritual work they felt called to do. I mean didn’t Christ talk about choosing faith over fear countless times? Didn’t he and his disciples walk into colonies of lepers and other communities where the sick were constantly being left to die, never once letting fear control them? While I’m not Christ or any great spiritual teacher and may never be any of the sort in this lifetime, I admire all those in our world’s history, who always chose faith over fear in helping others. Faith that led them to tend to many who were sick and ailing, no different than what we all are experiencing currently with COVID-19.

So, while I respect all those who choose differently and wish to remain in the safe confines of their homes right now because of this virus, I feel the God of my understanding constantly nudging me every day to keep putting myself out there where I’m called to help, to comfort those who are afraid, to be a companion, to love, and provide hope in any way I can, especially to those who might be struggling with addiction. Because if everyone chose to self-quarantine, who really would be there to tend to all the neighbors who actually do need some unconditionally loving help right now?

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Silly Joke Friday

Silly Joke #1

A girl came skipping home from school one day. “Mommy, Mommy,” she yelled, “we were counting today, and all the other kids could only count to four, but I counted to 10. See? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10!” “Very good,” said her mother. “Is it because I’m blonde, Mommy?” “Yes, Honey, it’s because you’re blonde.” The next day the girl came skipping home from school. “Mommy, Mommy,” She yelled, “we were saying the alphabet today, and all the other kids could only say it to D, but I said it to Z. See? A, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z!” “Very good,” said her mother. “Is it because I’m blonde, Mommy?” “Yes, Honey, it’s because you’re blonde.” The next day the girl came skipping home from school. “Mommy, Mommy,” she yelled, “we were in gym class today, and when we showered, all the other girls had flat chests, but I have these!” And she lifted her tank top to reveal a pair of 36Cs. “Very good,” said her embarrassed mother. “Is it because I’m blonde, mommy?” “No, Honey, it’s because you’re 25.”

Silly Joke #2

Grandpa was celebrating his 100th birthday and everybody complimented him on how athletic and well-preserved he appeared. “Gentlemen, I will tell you the secret of my success,” he cackled. “I have been in the open air day after day for some 75 years now.” The celebrants were impressed and asked how he managed to keep up his rigorous fitness regime. “Well, you see my wife and I were married 75 years ago. On our wedding night, we made a solemn pledge. Whenever we had a fight, the one who was proved wrong would go outside and take a walk.”

Silly Joke #3

“Dr. Oz said to reach inner peace we should always finish things we start, and we could all use more calm in our lives during these uncharted and turbulent COVID-19 times. So, we looked around our house to find things we’d started and hadn’t finished. First, we finished  a bottle of Merlot, then a boddle of Chardonnay, then a butle of Baileys, then a buddle of wum,  then the mainder of Valiuminum scriptshins and finly a bux of chalkcletz. Oz wuz soooo riiight! Yu haf no idr how fablus I fiel rite now.  Tlll thss to all who kneed inner pisssssssss………….an tellum iluvem too……………………”

Bonus Silly Jokes (3 super short ones!)

The teacher asked Joanie, “If you had a million dollars and gave away one quarter and another quarter and then another quarter, how much would you have left?” Joanie then replied, “A million dollars minus 75 cents.” 

Teacher: Now class, whatever I ask, I want you to all answer at once. How much is six plus 4?
Class: At once!

“How the diet going?” asked the doctor to his patient. “Not good doc, I had eggs for breakfast!” said the patient. “Is that because they were fried?” asked the doctor inquisitively. “No, it’s because they were chocolate.”

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Thought For The Day

Quote #1

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” (Steve Maraboli)

Quote #2

“It’s not a matter of letting go – you would if you could. Instead of “Let it go” we should probably say “Let it be”. (Jon Kabat-Zinn)

Quote #3

“The more you try to control something, the more it will control you.” (Unknown)

Bonus Quote

“When you try to control everything, you really enjoy nothing, but when you finally let go, you discover you never were in charge of anything anyway.” (Andrew Arthur Dawson)

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson