Why is it good to talk?

I was walking by the canal recently. It was a beautiful bright morning; the sun was shining.

As I looked around, my eyes settled on the water. Something was different about it today. It was not its usual cloudy brown color, and in fact, I could see the bottom. This was the first time I could make out what was beneath the surface. There are not many boats traveling around in Corona lockdown, so the superficial silt that is usually there has settled. The bottom is filled with rubbish. Hundreds of thousands of bottles and cans, bicycles, traffic cones, trolleys, rubble. It was fascinating to see what’s there, buried underneath, for who knows how long.

I think our lives in isolation are a bit like the canal. We sit still and quiet, some of us alone, some with our families, some with our thoughts as we go to work.

Things may become visible now. Things that were obscured, as we were churning along with our busy lives. Now that we have time, we can get in touch with our empathy for others, our joy of experiencing nature and listening to the sounds of the city anew. We may start exploring a sense of ourselves, without our daily stresses.

When we sit still and quiet we may also come face to face with things buried deep; our anger, anxiety, frustration, loneliness, fear, sense of worthlessness….

During these challenging times, it is a good idea to talk to someone. There is a need to share, a need to be heard. There is a chance to connect with friends that we haven’t spoken to in a long time, or have meaningful conversations with our family.

Although, sometimes, it may be difficult to talk to people close to us. We may fear we will be misunderstood or judged. Some of the elderly, that are most impacted by this, may feel isolated and alone. Parents may feel overwhelmed with trying to find new ideas to keep their young children excited being at home.

It is nice to have another option; it is nice to be able to talk to a professional. A psychotherapist or counselor will offer a safe, confidential, non-judgmental space, where you can process your emotions. There is a stability and consistency in personal work; there is someone there, offering their presence. From the quiet that comes from our challenging times we can process what comes up, and find a stillness within, find peace.

If you do need support, please reach out. You don’t have to go through this on your own. I am curious to see what is there.

Who knows, maybe we can find treasure amongst the rubble.