Thank you so much for your writings, both for this piece and your older ones. They always resonate strongly with me, despite our different situations (I'm a straight male in my late 60s). I experienced many of the same things you did: rejection by friends, isolation, loneliness, touch starvation, ostracism, gaslighting. My prospects for finding a life partner are essentially nil now, due to age and the Covid Cult Divide. In my little town, my life is even more restricted than it was last year, due to new vaccine mandates for the local classical music concerts, which were my lifeblood (I even played in one of these concerts last year). My fear is that the apparent easing of mandates elsewhere is only temporary, and that we'll be barraged with new fear propaganda and restrictions this fall.
I'm trying to come to terms with this prospect, and striving to make my life as good as it can be under the circumstances. I'm lucky to have a tiny group of supportive friends. But I am still feeling a confusing mix of anger and grief, and it seems to be getting worse, not better.
On my bad days, I just want to retreat with my piano to a cabin somewhere deep in the woods of Vermont, and withdraw from the society that doesn't want me any more.
Dear Relendra, you are much appreciated for sharing your perceptions that help the rest of us better understand the confusion of other humans. As humans, we are all flawed and easily succumb to actions that can hurt ourselves, others or the environment around us. We need to take care of ourselves first before we can assist others. But ironically it is in assisting others that we also renew ourselves. We know ourselves best and know when boundaries are needed between ourselves and the world so that we can rest There is no need for guilt to rule us. Just do our best and be satisfied at the end of each day that we are fine in our efforts or we are fine in just being. There is a purpose for both. And we can rest with a peaceful heart, content that we are enough. Thank you so much again for all you have given to the world to allow those who read your words to find renewed strength and peace in the challenges that fall across our own paths as well. You are a light and an inspiration to seek out others who also shine light into the damp, foul corners which then dries out and pushes back darkness.
Thanks so much for this - you are an amazing writer. I resonate with so much of it. I am also a psychotherapist (based in the UK) and I've been very very vocal about the harms to children and young people. I presented at an online conference at the end of last month about the future of healthcare and my talk was about how we, the adults, need to find our courage to support our young and model sovereignty to them. Your article partly helped me formulate some of my talk and I'm going to submit it as an article to https://www.hartgroup.org - have you come across them? I have written several articles for them which you could find if you did a search within the site. Preparing my presentation in combination with your article really made me realise how traumatising the past 2.5 years have been for myself which was very healing as I've been focusing so much on the kids. Would you be happy for me to use some quotes from your article and the last 3 sentences if I credited you? You might find this site interesting too: https://www.therapists4medicalfreedom.org
Thank you so much for this incredibly well articulated, sad and beautiful article. Thank you for your openness in sharing your journal entries and for your valuable contributions to sense-making in these continuing challenging, confusing times. Yes, let us not forget, and let us lead!
Thank you so much for your writings, both for this piece and your older ones. They always resonate strongly with me, despite our different situations (I'm a straight male in my late 60s). I experienced many of the same things you did: rejection by friends, isolation, loneliness, touch starvation, ostracism, gaslighting. My prospects for finding a life partner are essentially nil now, due to age and the Covid Cult Divide. In my little town, my life is even more restricted than it was last year, due to new vaccine mandates for the local classical music concerts, which were my lifeblood (I even played in one of these concerts last year). My fear is that the apparent easing of mandates elsewhere is only temporary, and that we'll be barraged with new fear propaganda and restrictions this fall.
I'm trying to come to terms with this prospect, and striving to make my life as good as it can be under the circumstances. I'm lucky to have a tiny group of supportive friends. But I am still feeling a confusing mix of anger and grief, and it seems to be getting worse, not better.
On my bad days, I just want to retreat with my piano to a cabin somewhere deep in the woods of Vermont, and withdraw from the society that doesn't want me any more.
Dear Relendra, you are much appreciated for sharing your perceptions that help the rest of us better understand the confusion of other humans. As humans, we are all flawed and easily succumb to actions that can hurt ourselves, others or the environment around us. We need to take care of ourselves first before we can assist others. But ironically it is in assisting others that we also renew ourselves. We know ourselves best and know when boundaries are needed between ourselves and the world so that we can rest There is no need for guilt to rule us. Just do our best and be satisfied at the end of each day that we are fine in our efforts or we are fine in just being. There is a purpose for both. And we can rest with a peaceful heart, content that we are enough. Thank you so much again for all you have given to the world to allow those who read your words to find renewed strength and peace in the challenges that fall across our own paths as well. You are a light and an inspiration to seek out others who also shine light into the damp, foul corners which then dries out and pushes back darkness.
Thanks so much for this - you are an amazing writer. I resonate with so much of it. I am also a psychotherapist (based in the UK) and I've been very very vocal about the harms to children and young people. I presented at an online conference at the end of last month about the future of healthcare and my talk was about how we, the adults, need to find our courage to support our young and model sovereignty to them. Your article partly helped me formulate some of my talk and I'm going to submit it as an article to https://www.hartgroup.org - have you come across them? I have written several articles for them which you could find if you did a search within the site. Preparing my presentation in combination with your article really made me realise how traumatising the past 2.5 years have been for myself which was very healing as I've been focusing so much on the kids. Would you be happy for me to use some quotes from your article and the last 3 sentences if I credited you? You might find this site interesting too: https://www.therapists4medicalfreedom.org
Big hug - you are not alone - Sarah xx
Thank you so much for this incredibly well articulated, sad and beautiful article. Thank you for your openness in sharing your journal entries and for your valuable contributions to sense-making in these continuing challenging, confusing times. Yes, let us not forget, and let us lead!