THE RISE IN THE DISMALS

    I was reading The Guardian this morning, loafing in my comfy PJs, drinking tea, and cozying up with the dog, when I thought, "I really should read the Ukrainian news." So I did, being amazed and inspired yet again by Zelensky--his courage, his going to the front lines, his nightly address to give heart to his people.

  Then I scrolled through some other articles, finding one called, "Social Recession," by Anton Cebalo, which detailed the social isolation of so many Americans. This article spoke of how young adults are having less sex than in the past, have fewer friends, not as many hobbies, less volunteering, and are not as centered in a community as in the past. I believe this applies to a wider swath of Americans than simply younger adults.

  Well, hell! Wouldn't you feel depressed if this were your life? I realize that the pandemic just exacerbated these trends which had been there for a few decades, including less church-going. But this article speaks to a serious unraveling of the good threads of our lives which nourish us, give us hope, and form a path to a good future; parts which my parents lived in and which Rick and I have been part of as well. 

    I won't even detail the crisis in mental health we are seeing now, and how the huge gap in wealth makes this even harder. For if you cannot afford a computer, do not have health care, and cannot get on-line therapy, you are basically screwed.

 My heart goes out to young people coming of age now and feeling dismal about their lives and future. It reminds me of one of my favorite Beatles' songs, "Eleanor Rigby," with the lyrics which still give me goosebumps. Her face by the door!  Man, were they ever prescient!

 

   But what can be done? What can we do, what can I do to help? How do we make a rope to pull people into a better life? Here are a few things on my horizon that I am thinking about: (And you know how I love lists!)

1/ Encourage people to go back to church or step over the threshold for the first time. Post services on FB and remind people that they can go either in person or on a live feed. In my area there are several wonderful services: one is at the Alden Baptist Church in Springfield (simply request to be a friend) and another at our local Haydenville UCC which has a live FB feed once you friend them. Music is awesome; prayers wonderful; preaching is great while we wait for Pastor Mark to arrive the first Sunday in March.

 Unfortunately, our local Catholic Parish does not have a live FB feed, although it did during the pandemic. I loved it, kept me fed and nourished during that hard time. Fr. Reilly, I miss you!

2/ Invite some folks you know to form a small community group, such as a book club.

 We have our "Death Cab For Cuties" where 4 of us discuss the last bits of our life, what our wishes are, what to tell our "kids," and how to prepare ourselves. I just read in our local Senior Center newsletter that there will be a five-part meeting and discussion on "Becoming Mortal" in the Goshen Town Hall starting in a month or so.

3/ Form a walking group to meet once a week at a local place to do a gentle walk around your town. I am seriously into gentle. You can agree on different routes, keep the distance small, such as 1 mile, with the pace not overly brisk. Then get coffee and a muffin at a local place like our wonderful General Store in Williamsburg. Have I raved about their rapples recently? I actually like the women's walking groups, just because there is a special vibe and energy when a bunch of women get together.

 

4/ Those of us who aspire to be writers could also form a small writing group meeting once a week or less to share manuscripts, talk about goals, and encourage each other. These kind of groups can often lead to publishing contracts. Just sayin'.

5/ I believe there are meditation groups on Zoom,which one friend has been in for several years. She said it saved her during the pandemic. Google it and see what is available.

 

6/ Go to a yoga class. It could simply be Chair Yoga for those of us who are a bit compromised, or a regular yoga class. At our local Senior Center in Williamsburg there are dance classes and Tai Chi classes as well.

 Ok, you get the point. I keep saying "groups" in this blog post. As someone who can be introverted and not crazy about getting dressed, putting on makeup, getting in the car, and going places, I get it. I have to rouse up some momentum to leave my house. But once I do, I am always--well, almost always--happy that I did. We are social creatures. We are meant to be in interaction with others. We are meant to share our lives and listen to others.