Command & Control
Earlier, I described setting up default templates so my documents look just so. Shortly after posting that, the family and I began straightening, cleaning, and organizing the basement. I also cleaned my workshop and rehung the door to my nook so it doesn't drag on the carpet.
We were very productive, but there's more to it than just that.
I bet we're not the only ones organizing, raking the yard, putting books in order, cleaning hard drives, and cleaning the refrigerator shelves. Sure, we need something to do and have put these tasks off, but we also need some command and control in times such as this. Cleaning the basement, setting up a new word processing template, whatever we're doing, we do to feel something other than helpless.
In this morning's pages I wrote that the worst part of this whole thing is the uncertainty and the certainty. The virus is invisible to the naked eye. We can't know if we just breathed it in or if we carried it to someone we love. That's straight out of a horror movie1. The monster is out there, but we can't see it, don't know how to fight it, and have no idea when it will go away. The uncertainty is worse than awful but isn't all with which we must cope.
There is also the certainty, despite what the D.C. maggot says, that this will get worse and many people will die. We are certain this isn't a hoax. It isn't happening somewhere else. It won't be painless. We're certain of all that.
The one-two punch of certainty and uncertainty, well, it's crushing. We can wallow in that or go clean the basement.
I have this much command and control of the situation: the basement looks great and I smile walking through it. Not much, but maybe enough to help get through today and into the next. If so, well, that's just fine. It's enough.
What are you cleaning today?
1 No, I'm not looking forward to the COVID-19 movies that Hollywood will produce. Like movies about September 11, I'll be sure to avoid them.