Hello, and peace to you today. This is CH (MAJ) Patty Jenkins with the 63d Readiness Division.
Message
A woman I know recently admitted she is worried about how she will feel when things open up again in Los Angeles, where she lives. The infection rate in LA County has been extraordinarily high and devastating, so the worry about either passing or receiving the Covid virus is significant. Last year she was worried about having to spend so much time at home, alone. Now she is worried about how it will feel to be around people again. The feeling reminds me of redeployment: avoiding crowds, regarding strangers with suspicion, feeling defensive about personal space, having a sense of disorientation.
My hope is that in a few months, or weeks, we will all be free to leave our Covid bunkers without fear of infection. We will be free to gather, talk face to face, and even hug. But our experience in the military teaches us that going back to normal isn’t always easy or simple. It can be very different from what we were expecting or hoping for. Our particular experience as Soldiers, and people who work or live with Soldiers, can deepen the stress of “redeployment” to the outside world. For me, I imagine going into a store without a mask will feel like my first grocery shopping trip after a year in Afghanistan. The thousands of products and the incessant music overstimulated me. I felt jumpy at people coming around the corner too fast. I felt irritated by people who stood too close to me.
On the other hand, our particular experiences also offer valuable skills for this time. We are the ones who know to adjust our expectations as life opens up. We are the ones who know that irritability and impatience are normal as conditions shift, even when they shift for the better. We are the ones trained for steadiness and resiliency, staying mission-focused and driving on.
As for me, I am a fan of making small changes over time, rather than dramatic shifts. I have learned to trust my instincts more and tell others what I need to feel safe. If I don’t feel ready to sit in a packed movie theater, I can wait until another time. If I want to continue wearing a mask in crowded public spaces, I can do that too. What’s coming back are options I haven’t had for more than one year; they are not demands or requirements.
Listen to yourselves and trust your experiences to guide you in these next weeks and months. Life is getting better, it just might take a while for our hearts to catch up.
Here is the direct email and phone number for anyone requesting support from the 63d RD Chaplain office,
usarmy.usarc.63-rsc.list.chaplain-all-users@mail.mil
650-526-9668