The Impact of a Crisis

Right now, the whole world is impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in a way that has never happened before.
The long-term effects cannot even be measured at this time. Every aspects of the world as we knew it will be changed, economics, family life, health care, travel, education, work environment, governmental leadership and worldwide communication. While the economic toll is difficult to measure the long term, emotional toll is even more difficult to understand.

Yet every crisis, and we have many both individually and in society, leaves a long- term impact
which we often ignore or mis-understand. This long- term impact is the process of grieving the
multitude of losses created by any crisis and which change us forever.

While the significance and impact of each loss is unique to the person experiencing the loss there are
some common reactions which we all experience and some actions we can all implement to help us heal. These actions should be implemented both in our homes and in society. These include:

• Understanding and accepting the losses we have experienced and the need to grieve those losses. With a world- wide crisis there needs to be world-wide support of everyone’s grief.
• Learning and supporting the process of grieving that we all experience which includes education, changing work and home environments, providing resources, offering understanding and adjusting expectations at home, in schools and in the work environment
• Providing outlets for grieving including spiritually based activities and events, opportunities
  for outdoor movement and interaction, guided individual and group support, self- expression through the arts (art, dance, writing, music, drama), child focused environments, work based
  support programs.
• Creating a culture of healing in homes, schools and work environments by cultivating an
  atmosphere of understanding, compassion, support and by providing resources that offer
  education, insight and reflection.
• Supporting mental and physical health by establishing health systems throughout the world which meet every person’s health needs with a focus on prevention and early intervention through the creation of healthy environments.
• Establishing secure living environments which meet all persons core needs including adequate food, shelter, clothing, safety, education, purposeful work, adequate compensation and supportive relationships.
• Cultivating peace and joy for all persons through mindful leadership and cooperation among people and nations.

           There is a light in the world, a healing spirit, more powerful than any darkness we encounter  – Mother Teresa

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