Food For Thought: The Coronavirus (COVID-19)

There is no doubt about it.... the last couple of days and weeks have been nothing short of uncertain and unnerving. The news is buzzing with numbers, symptoms and ways to protect ourselves. I have never in my life washed my hands so many times, that now, without using lotion after washing, my hands look like totally overheated raisins! If you have wondered, I'm not a person that was made for long periods of "social distancing". I thrive off of hugs, connection and a gentle touch to show others I love and care about them. While it breaks my heart to hear about all the devastation and pain this virus is having on everyone, I can't keep focusing on it, or it will eat me up inside. On the other side of the coin, I understand that this "new normal" is hard for everyone, getting acclimated at such a fast rate, with a time frame that changes almost by the second. One way to get through these times of uncertainty is to fight against is the tendency to only think of ourselves. That's why we've heard authorities and officials say, to not confuse ''social distancing" with "emotional distancing". There are ways to show people that you care. Thanking our "essential workers", giving people a smile, checking on friends and family through social media or a phone call or writing a letter. Make it a point to understand that the way people react and respond during this time is not a reflection of how they would normally act...they just want to be given the benefit of the doubt. When the announcement was made to stay at home, you could tell the gravity and heaviness of this ever-changing situation was sitting squarely on the Governor's shoulders. He said that we are resilient, strong, and we come together... in essence, he was saying that we all have the responsibility and potential to display these good qualities to one another. We can support the steps the authorities are taking to slow the spread of this virus. What kindles anger and fear is thinking that we somehow know better how to protect ourselves, when the less stressful road to travel is just to pay attention and do what we are told. It is super important that we take heed, take care of ourselves, don't lose ourselves to the choas and for the time being, adjust our sails to the winds of change. Change helps us to grow and refine our perspective... let it.  Don't be afraid of it. You will come out a different person...FOR THE GOOD!!!

You ALL are in my thoughts and I send you all my love!!!!

xoxoxo
Michelle :)

Being Thankful: It's all about perspective...an everyday effort.

I always love getting to spend time with my Grandma!  For as long as I can remember, she's been one of the biggest influences in my life.  My mom has, over the past couple of years, started to take on the role of caregiver, which involves taking care of everyday things for my grandma - making sure she has meals, new clothes when needed, doctors’ appointments, paying her bills, filling out paperwork, etc. - it’s a never ending list, actually.  Each new day brings the same routine and what has amazed me is my mom’s dedication to her mom.  She's told me countless times she doesn’t want my grandma to feel alone.  I see why she feels that way.  Her parents never left her alone or with nowhere to turn.  When my sister was growing up, she was with my grandparents whenever mom needed someone to watch her.  When I grew up, I was never always cared for, as well.  Both my grandma and grandpa made it part of their routine everyday, like clockwork, to be at my house to get me off the bus...always bursting with love and smiles to greet me.  My grandma would fix snacks as we talked about the school day.  I was always helped with my homework (translation: I am not and never was a math genius!)  No matter what it was, they were always there.  Holding me up, cheering me on and building me up.  Returning the favor is only the right thing to do. Being supportive a thousand times over.  For years, my grandma did well on her own and then we realized for her own safety and well-being she needed a little more assistance.  Transitioning there was rough, so the supportive reinforcements were built up.  Reassuring her that she would be in a safe place and able to do what she wanted so she could find more joy in being in a community that would welcome her with open arms and help her through the tough spots of moving into a new phase of life.  Every once in awhile, she would say she wants to come back to the home she lived in.  I started off by saying that I could really relate to her.  I haven’t done all I want to in my life either, but if we get too focused on what we don’t have, we'll miss out on the blessings we do have.  Mom and I both tell her how much we love her, and that moving her to where she lives now is because we want her to be safe, happy and healthy!  She just happens to be all those things, now that she has gotten settled in her new home!

My grandma continues to teach me that you may not have the most ideal situation, but you can be happy in adjusting to a new situation...and come out smiling on the other side!  That’s what my grandma does every day and I’m determined to do the same. Being thankful is an everyday thing. That way everyday can be sunny and bright!!  Make it part of your everyday routine!

Love you Grandma!! :)

Music Therapy: Your brains' best friend! :)

A three day weekend is coming up and you just got a call from one of your best friends, "Let's go on a road trip filled with our favorite shopping stops, delectable food stops and conversations that make us laugh and cry until our stomachs hurts!!" Exactly what I need, you think.... No sooner than you hang up the phone, you hop in your car, put your shades on, pop in your favorite tunes, turn it up, and dance like nobody's on the road and sing like a rock star!  Seeing your best friend lifts your spirits and puts you in the happiest of moods!  Did you know those tunes that are in your CD player are your brain's best friend???  Who knew!?!?!  It makes sense though, right?  When you have to clean the house, what gets you motivated more? Dead silence or a favorite song?  C'mon now, don't lie, we all know that you use your broom handle as a makeshift microphone as you jam to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean and do the moonwalk in your kitchen!!  It's ok, your secret is safe with me....;)  We are all motivated by music!! This motivation helps us all be productive and it calms our nerves.... It even helps me when I sit down to write blogs like this one!  It helps the ideas and words flow better...so when you, as the reader, read this blog it's a really enjoyable experience for you! :)   Music therapy is a fascinating field that is helping people with disabilities in remarkable ways!!  Lindsey Wright, a music therapist that sat down for an interview with me some time ago said music therapy is used to work on communication, cognition,  motor skills, emotional and social skills.  The music therapist uses different techniques and motivators to get the clients they work with to work on new skills that they wouldn't maybe necessarily be motivated to learn if the music wasn't there!!  The results are remarkable!

When your brain and music form a bond,
Remarkable things happen!!! :)

I'm always so happy to meet and interview people like Lindsey!  She recognized as a child how happy music made her and she wanted to share it with others...especially those with disabilities.  People learn and are motivated by different things....that's normal. Music therapy is just one more tool to help accomplish the goal of educating others that we are all the same. The outside may be different, but music is the universal language of everyone.....one of the motivators that we ALL can groove to!!





Listen into my interview with Lindsey to get to know more about this sweet music therapist and learn more about music therapy!  www.arcind.org/upload/media/A%20View%20into%20Music%20Therapy.mp3


Michelle Fischer is the host of a View from My Window a podcast produced by The Arc of Indiana