Anxiety Is Not The Destination

When there is turmoil all around, anxiety is a pretty natural response to the unknown, unknowable, uncontrolled, and uncontrollable.  It's a very human emotional response, and it acknowledges our fragility, our dependence and our humanity.

But it's not a great place to stay.  The cost of anxiety is high.  The price?  Peace of mind, calm, clear thinking, good decision making, a state of relaxation, the ability to maintain perspective.

So even if the automatic response is worry and anxiety, remember you don't have to stay there.  Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.  Think about the help you can offer, even if just in the form of good wishes or prayers.

And remember how powerfully important it is for there to be someone who can think clearly and not be upset when everyone is under terrible stress.  If you can be that person, the one who calls on spiritual strength in the midst of crisis, that alone is a huge help to everyone else who maybe can't do that for themselves.