The team at MADE SAFE is working remotely, as best we all can, despite things being anything but business-as-usual. We know we aren’t alone in feeling as if our world has been turned upside-down.
In a time when we are lacking balance and missing our heretofore “normal” routine, we would like to share how we are each using this time at home to re-center and care for ourselves, as well as how we’re caring for and connecting with others.
We hope this may inspire you with new ways to care for yourself and others in the midst of uncertainty. Share on our social pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest) how you are caring for yourself and others. Below are a few examples of how the MADE SAFE team is “taking care”:
What the MADE SAFE Team Is Doing
“I’m journaling weekly with my kids to capture our thoughts throughout this shelter-in-place experience. The act of writing is a good outlet to capture our emotions. But I also want to be able to look back and remember what it was like. I suspect it will provide perspective and a good deal more over time.”
“Ever since I first started baking bread on the weekends in my first apartment after college, it has provided me comfort and given me a sense of accomplishment. That was almost 30 years ago and I hadn’t made bread in years. But somehow, once we started staying at home, I found myself wanting to bake bread again – and even put a creative twist on it by making bagels! Baking for my family has helped me feel both grounded and comforted in the midst of everything.”
“I sent a positive note and some healthy food to a friend who is working in a hospital with COVID-19 patients because I think it’s important to support those in our communities who are on the front lines. It’s hard to know how to help during a crisis like this, but I think small ways you can bring others joy and offer a helping hand are uplifting for everyone.”
“I have been helping keep the homeless animals in my neighborhood healthy for years by participating in my county’s trap, neuter, and release program. Much like our work in nontoxic living, if we ignore these problems, our communities can’t be healthy. In a time when it is easy to forget about caring for our four-legged friends, I enjoy providing care, food, and shelter for animals as a part of my routine.”
“I am finding beauty in the chaos that has been brought about by this crisis. Between moving my parents in with me and having one of my daughters back home, I am suddenly finding myself with a full house once again. Though it is a new normal, I am embracing the unexpected time together and finding joy in cooking and caring for my family.”
“I am getting out into nature because the signs of spring help to remind me that there is hope, and it also provides some consistency despite being in the midst of a devastating pandemic. Walking in the woods provides me and my family a time to connect with each other and with nature, and disconnect from the constant virus news and anxiety.”
“I am seeking to live more intentionally during this time by writing letters to friends and family. Though technology affords us incredible means for connection during this time, I am sending letters because of their special ability to communicate love, care, and presence to people who might be feeling particularly isolated right now.”
“Though this global pandemic can feel as though it is pulling a stifling dark blanket over our society, one of the ways my husband and I are maintaining a sense of normalcy in our lives is by using humor. My husband is now working from home, and he kisses the top of my head and says goodbye when he “leaves for the office” (down the hall) and he calls me when he’s “on his way home.”
“Having worked as a server and bartender for a decade, service industry employees are on the forefront of my mind. I have been checking in with my friends who are in the industry to offer support where I can, purchasing gift cards to my favorite spots, and donating to service industry relief funds. I also try to leave generous tips for curbside no-contact take out!”
