THESE days, when I check on my friends, I ask for their levels of COVID fatigue.
Because even though I probably have the rich man’s version of it, I’m already beginning to feel the strain.
I’m feeling that six-month itch (counting from mid-March).
I mean, life has to mean more than just a daily marathon of four to five movies, eight to 10 small meals, writing a book, and/or reading a book.
*
I’ve been a good communicator of the COVID basics from Day 1: handwashing, physical distancing, Vitamin C, and prayers.
But after a while, it gets tiring because people are stupid, lazy, stubborn, and again, stupid.
In the meme culture of the Internet (for how else people can connect during lockdowns), they spread too much fear, anxiety, panic, and even nonsense.
People don’t fact-check.
They also get into other stuff that aren’t as helpful as science or common sense.
Other stuff like politics. And blame games.
*
In this pandemic, a lot of people lost their bearing and composure.
They lost their common sense, and faith in the big picture.
I can understand the poor in their panic.
I can understand hungry people in their panic.
Although I always think that panic does not solve anything.
*
By nature, I’m a worrier.
If I don’t have a plan or a deadline, I’ll probably die.
If I don’t have a problem to solve, I’ll probably weaken and die.
So, yeah. For a while, the pandemic made me feel alive.
Useful even. Needed.
I knew I could say something good to help people out.
*
But boy, I was wrong.
I was overtaken by the TikTok craze and Zoom meetings.
I was overtaken by barter trades and the new interest in pandemic gardening.
In COVID info dissemination, I was overtaken by banana diet, ginger and green tea diet, and even that steam inhalation crap.
Everybody was talking. And talking mostly shit.
*
Everybody has something to say, something to share.
So, I withdrew a little bit.
I slowed down on social media.
I watched a lot of movies, cooked all day long, and ate my small frequent meals, read my books, and wrote some.
I tuned out of toxic family members who have nothing good to say.
I stayed in conversation all right, but mostly I just prayed for the sick and the dead.
*
I do not miss a lot of things.
Well, maybe sex.
But don’t judge me so fast.
I have had things going for me in the last six months.
(This guy is not dying a virgin, I can assure you of that!) Haha.
*
But mostly, I’ve been praying.
Envisioning my life post-COVID, post-pandemic.
Online, I’ve talked to people.
Potential boyfriends, potential partners.
I have already planned out my months until the end of the year.
I am sure of my three requirements before I go home to the Philippines.
I know what I want.
And that’s really powerful in the climate of world panic.
*
I learned nothing new during this COVID pandemic.
I mean, sure, it sounds a little arrogant, but it’s true.
We are just passing guests on this earth — I learned that 30 years ago.
Money is not everything — I learned that 25 years ago.
Cherish your relationships — I learned that 20 years ago.
We will all die alone — I learned that 11 years ago.
Work/employment will not save you — I learned that seven years ago.
Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all — I learned that from the Whitney Houston song.
Fatigue comes to all — I think I learned that from Biology and other sciences in college.
*
So, if people don’t hear my prescriptions of handwashing, physical distancing, Vitamin C, and prayers, good luck to them.
I’m not gonna stress myself over people’s stubbornness and plain stupidity.
We are all just passing guests on this earth.
I’m not going to fatigue myself over other people’s stubbornness and plain stupidity.
One word about COVID fatigue: Don’t let your guard down.
Now, back to my third movie for the day!/PN
