As someone who is retired and single (both parents dead), lives alone, and whose friends are scattered somewhat with none close by, and having a house of my own together with no particular commitments and no debts, I mostly have just to worry about not getting the virus and just getting sufficient to eat - which mainly isn't that much of a bother even if it requires a little more searching than usual. My income is modest but reasonably secure and I live such as not to ever get into any debts - something learned from the past. Of course I still worry that the virus might take some of my friends, a few being older than myself and possibly in worse health, and I'm not so complacent to think that I would necessarily survive although I'm probably in better health that most my age and I've never smoked so that helps apparently. I'm also someone who can enjoy company when available but can also manage for long periods without such.
However, I can fully understand how so many others will be feeling when their circumstances are very different from mine. Many will have families to look after, particularly their children, and possibly elderly relatives, and might even have problems with their jobs and/or their financial arrangements. So their worries are compounded. The Coronavirus must be exceptionally worrying for many because of these additional considerations, such as to be rather difficult to put into perspective. This is particularly so because, as most will now know, nothing on this scale has really existed in living memory apart from the last atrocious world war.
We will survive this - or at least most will - and we will eventually get back to some normal way of living, so how we behave during these trying times will perhaps reflect how much resilience and adaptability we possess, and also perhaps how much we are willing to deprive others in order to survive or maintain our expectations. This latter however might perhaps haunt us if we do such.
How we react to this crisis might depend upon two things - how we can handle uncertainty and how we can handle risk and/or fear. Those perhaps less secure, and for whom order and having expectations of how things are done, with little room for uncertainties (as in getting a constant and reliable supply of food or whatever) will find the situation where this is not so more troubling. Also, those who have never had to deal with risks or threats to well-being might equally not be prepared sufficiently to cope with what could well be a threat to their lives. This last is important since although the virus is most likely to threaten the elderly and/or those with existing health issues, this is not a guarantee that those younger and/or healthy will not be affected by it.
I tend to be in the former camp, being a little OCD in preferring to have a buffer rather than running out of things, but perhaps no more than most. However, I am able to accept risks to myself perhaps more than most without reacting unreasonably, having done many things which have provided such situations (*) and it does seem that we do tend to get more immune with such experiences. As many will have gathered from my posts, I'm also quite comfortable with doubt such as not to rely on any particular belief system. For others, no doubt mental attitudes alone (or certain beliefs) will provide that necessary to deal with whatever happens.
How do you see yourself in relation to this crisis - as having what particular issues and/or strengths to cope with it?
* My immunity, if one can call it that, mainly comes from having done a lot of risky physical activities such as caving, rock-climbing, mountaineering, and yachting, for example, but might also have come from having done a lot of cycling and motorbiking, both of which entail being more vulnerable than most other road-users, particularly the former when done in a city environment, and visibility on the road is the main factor for the latter although the temptation to use the speed available might also be another one.
However, I can fully understand how so many others will be feeling when their circumstances are very different from mine. Many will have families to look after, particularly their children, and possibly elderly relatives, and might even have problems with their jobs and/or their financial arrangements. So their worries are compounded. The Coronavirus must be exceptionally worrying for many because of these additional considerations, such as to be rather difficult to put into perspective. This is particularly so because, as most will now know, nothing on this scale has really existed in living memory apart from the last atrocious world war.
We will survive this - or at least most will - and we will eventually get back to some normal way of living, so how we behave during these trying times will perhaps reflect how much resilience and adaptability we possess, and also perhaps how much we are willing to deprive others in order to survive or maintain our expectations. This latter however might perhaps haunt us if we do such.
How we react to this crisis might depend upon two things - how we can handle uncertainty and how we can handle risk and/or fear. Those perhaps less secure, and for whom order and having expectations of how things are done, with little room for uncertainties (as in getting a constant and reliable supply of food or whatever) will find the situation where this is not so more troubling. Also, those who have never had to deal with risks or threats to well-being might equally not be prepared sufficiently to cope with what could well be a threat to their lives. This last is important since although the virus is most likely to threaten the elderly and/or those with existing health issues, this is not a guarantee that those younger and/or healthy will not be affected by it.
I tend to be in the former camp, being a little OCD in preferring to have a buffer rather than running out of things, but perhaps no more than most. However, I am able to accept risks to myself perhaps more than most without reacting unreasonably, having done many things which have provided such situations (*) and it does seem that we do tend to get more immune with such experiences. As many will have gathered from my posts, I'm also quite comfortable with doubt such as not to rely on any particular belief system. For others, no doubt mental attitudes alone (or certain beliefs) will provide that necessary to deal with whatever happens.
How do you see yourself in relation to this crisis - as having what particular issues and/or strengths to cope with it?
* My immunity, if one can call it that, mainly comes from having done a lot of risky physical activities such as caving, rock-climbing, mountaineering, and yachting, for example, but might also have come from having done a lot of cycling and motorbiking, both of which entail being more vulnerable than most other road-users, particularly the former when done in a city environment, and visibility on the road is the main factor for the latter although the temptation to use the speed available might also be another one.
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