Amidst The Chaos

By: Emily Edelman

[hiddeninthemess]

Although the end doesn't seem to be in sight, we are still looking for the good, the fun to be had, and whatever light we can find hidden in the mess. My family and friends are what keep me going; they give me my hope. They push me to fight the temptation to fall into a hole and to keep hoping. They help me continue to fight for my dreams even during these hard times. And for that I am grateful.

[hiddeninthemess]

This pandemic has been going on for way too long. We’ve reached the point where this nightmare, this fantasy has turned into a reality. I no longer question the need to stay at home, the distance I need to keep from others, the idea that being around others and others being around you is toxic has become a normal phenomenon. Our lives have managed to warp into what used to only be real in fiction books. Our lives are warping from fantasy to reality. What used to be true no longer is. The normal society we once were is long gone since the pandemic has come. All this messes with our heads, what’s real and what’s not. Am I happy? Am I sad? Am I safe? Am I not? The confinement is not only making some of us crazy but it’s also got us looking to the future, dreaming up new hopes. We’ve peaked into dreamland and that gives us a sense that anything is possible. I can be whoever I want to be.

[hiddeninthemess]

Meet Rach. She’s my best friend. She’s my light in this darkness. Throughout this whole pandemic this girl has been what’s kept me going. No matter what or when she’s always there reminding me of the good going on around me. Whenever I need insipiration, she’s my muse. Whenever I need strength, she’s my backbone. And whenever I need a good laugh, she’s my girl. My best friend is one of the many positive things I’ve found to be hidden in the mess. And amidst all this chaos, she keeps me steady. This is my best friend. My light. My positivity. What’s yours?

[hiddeninthemess]

As the days go on and we’re still stuck inside mostly, it’s got me thinking. What good can come out of this? Within our entrapment and confinement there is time for so much positive. All the time I’ve got has me looking towards the future, figuring out what I want to do and how I can achieve certain goals. I’ve gotten time to learn more about my self and my family. My family and I are learning to appreciate each other even more with family game nights and spending more time together. Even though there are times when we want to rip each other’s heads off, there is still a closeness that we are gaining from being stuck inside with each other. And new talents and ideas are being born amidst the chaos and hidden in the mess and we just have to find it.

[hiddeninthemess]

As I continue to look at this newfound world, I see the different effects it has had on people. Some through the dark time have found an outlook of good and have been using the time to create stronger family bonds and help others. Others have fallen into the trap and have isolated themselves from the world and have become alienated from society. This pandemic has managed to both push people apart and bring people together. There are those who feel trapped and those you have found the freedom in being quarantined and built stronger and deeper connections with those who they share a home with.

[hiddeninthemess]

I like to think people act differently in times of chaos. There are those who hold on to their loved ones, soaking in the time they get to spend together. There are those who struggle to get a grip on what’s going on around them and start to lose themselves. And there are those who have only just begun to discover who they are and who they want to be. I like to think that hidden among all this chaos is the good in people and I like finding it. Amidst all the chaos and hidden within the mess are good people waiting to be found.