Dear Mom,
I was reading an article that one of the pastors sent us last week. It was a professional counselor who wrote about community trauma. She was explaining how the Corona Virus is different from other types of trauma. Because when something like a hurricane or a tsunami hits a community it’s devastating and it wipes everything out, but there’s a sense of hope once it’s over as the community starts rebuilding and moving forward. But our current situation is completely different because we are still in the storm. We are in the middle of the tsunami and we don’t know when it will end. We can’t start rebuilding because we don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. We could go from code yellow back to red, something else might get canceled or a friend could die from the virus. So we are living in a state of fight or flight and it’s causing our anxiety to rise. It’s not surprising that you said you were feeling tired and stressed because we are still in the storm.
I must have been subconsciously processing this the other night because I had a crazy dream. It was actually a nightmare. I dreamt that we were in this weird room with walls on every side, except one wall opened up to the ocean. The waves were coming in and they were getting bigger to the point that they were up to the ceiling of the room. The waves were so strong and the only thing we could do was dive under them or else they would wash us up on shore. At first everyone was diving and we were doing just fine. It was like being at the beach at Lake Erie on a wavy day and you are kind of enjoying the thrill of diving under the waves. But then we started getting tired, to the point where we didn’t want to continue anymore. It was awful because Dad was in the dream and he wasn’t strong enough to swim under the waves and his legs got broken. And my brother was too young and you had to hold on to him and swim under with him. There were a few areas in the room where you could hide behind a wall for a few minutes to catch your breath, but then you had to go back out again.
This dream was so realistic and when I woke up I realized that my dream is like what we are going through right now. Every day feels like another wave that is coming and we have to prepare ourselves and dive under it or else it is going to take us out. If we don’t swim we are going to get washed ashore. I remember in the dream wondering, “Where is the lifeguard?” In the dream he wasn’t there and that’s what made it so scary.
But here’s the truth about the tsunami we are currently facing. Yes the waves are getting bigger and they are really scary. We might be getting tired and not want to keep diving under each day and the troubles it brings. But we aren’t swimming alone in this. In the dream when I looked at the lifeguard chair it was empty and the sign said “swim at your own risk.” But instead we have Jesus, the good lifeguard, on the throne and he is watching over all of us. He is in control and he is going to come and swim out to save us if we start drowning. Be strong and courageous mom. He has built us as strong swimmers and has given us strength with his Holy Spirit to keep diving into the waves of the unknown. And he is the good life guard who will paddle out to us if we start drowning. And we can find hope in that.
Love,
Lindsey
Comments