I undoubtedly am. Are you?

I would think everyone is/should be scared. The presence of an invisible highly infectious killer virus surrounding us, when an asymptomatic person is in our vicinity should scare the toughest amongst us. At the same time, we should also be able to manage our fear, by following the scientific guidance to overcome the feeling of being scared.

Wikipedia defines scare/fear as – “Fear is closely related to the emotion anxiety, which occurs as the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable. The fear response serves survival by engendering appropriate behavioral responses, so it has been preserved throughout evolution”

Remember that being scared is a primeval sub-conscious survival skill, wired into our DNA and genetic structures. Humankind has survived the unthinkable over the centuries, and we will endure this one, too. The animal kingdom has evolved, honed and fine-tuned this survival ability, and continues to flourish. For example, the antelope is always scared and vigilant, on the watch out for the carnivores who want to make a quick meal out of it. That fear does not stop it from looking for green pastures, just because it is scared of being hunted. For us humans, thankfully, fear or being scared to survive – does not kick in on a regular basis. Humanity and society have evolved to ensure this. Under dire circumstances like fire, accidents, etc. everyone will experience the adrenalin rush resulting from fear/scare – as our survival drive kicks in.

So how do we handle the scare/fear in our current situation for the foreseeable future, at least? I’d say weaponize your fear. Recognize and accept this condition as a reality you have to live with. If you were shipwrecked and found yourself on a lonely island – what would you do?  Survive – right? Let the fear build up in you, do not discount it, or minimize it and assume ‘nothing can/will happen to you, and all will be well’. Rationalize the fear, subdue it, and develop your plan to handle it. Remember the phrase ‘fools rush in where angels fear to tread’. Well, try being an angel. Build around you and your family – your protective bubble. Remember you can be picked by the virus with the roll of a dice, or the luck of the draw. It takes just one careless, often unsuspecting action, for the virus to dominate you and your life.

Our new ‘abnormal’ is here to stay. We are learning that as of May 20th, all the US states and several countries around the world are planning to start a ‘phased’ opening without the comfort of therapeutics or a prevention vaccine. Science is saying we are not ready, although ‘cash is king’ seems to be the driving force. Remember nothing has changed as far as the virus is concerned. It is alive and kicking, still flourishing at our expense. It is waiting patiently, suspended in the air – for the next unsuspecting person to take a deep breath without a face mask. So weaponize your fear and if you need to, or want to, venture out to escape your ‘birdcage’ – make sure you go out confidently with a face mask. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Avoid any place, where folks have decided to ‘rush in’ like fools. Along with your face mask, ensure social distancing as a 2nd weapon, in your arsenal. Till we can vanquish this terror – we will need to learn to co-exist, without the fear of being afflicted by it.

The expectation is that everyone will follow the rules. Wear face masks and practice social distancing. Both of these – are not mutually exclusive and both MUST be strictly followed by everyone who decides that it is time to leave the safe confines of their homes. I am not saying this glibly. Based on what I see and hear – there are more fools amongst us than angels. Folks who believe that controlled gradual opening to re-ignite our economy, means that the past is behind us and the virus has magically disappeared. It takes just one asymptomatic person in a crowd of unprotected individuals for the flare-ups to occur. One cough, one sneeze, or touching a commonly used surface is all it takes for the virus to establish a beachhead in your lungs.

I muse sometimes – if it could; what is the virus thinking about as it sees, what it has been able to accomplish in a mere 3 months. Does it realize what it has done to the human race? We are second-guessing our every move and double and triple-checking our every action as we go about the simplest of day-to-day motions – like banking, post-office visit, trip to the grocery store, or just a brisk outdoor exercise activity. A mere micro-David has slain hundreds of thousands of colossal-Goliaths already and continues to dominate and subjugate our every action and thought. It has the most evolved creature on planet earth, down on bended knees. This is probably a teaching moment for humanity. We have traveled to the moon and are planning for Mars – but the virus knows that for now – it has us locked up in our homes.

I feel I have overcome my scare and fear of the unknown virus. It is a choice, we made jointly at home. I know what I should do and what I have to avoid at all costs – to prevent any unfortunate events. My travels outside my home are targeted and focused to achieve specific objectives. I arm myself with a heavy-duty face mask and a lighter one over it. I put on gloves, as required – when I am inside a grocery store – and promptly discard them as I exit. I carry a Purell bottle in my pocket. As soon as I get back into my car, I ‘purellify’ my hands vigorously, before touching any surface in my car. Believe me; I am still scared, as I step out of my home….. And I choose to manage my scare/fear because I want to be alive. I want to be in control of my life and am tired of living in fear.

Ultimately, each one has to make our own decisions. I have made mine.