What it Takes: Sharing hope virtually anywhere

I’m sure many of you are with me when I say that I’d sure like to move forward from this COVID-19 thing. But we’re stuck for now.

COVID-19 has changed our lives, leaving us to feel isolated and overly stressed. Even more, we’re afraid of something very real that can’t be seen— a virus.

I understand that a lot of people are afraid, but I also understand that fear itself isn’t always a bad thing. A little concern can be useful because it makes you cautious and careful and causes you to take precautions.

But too much fear can cause us to avoid not just our fears, but also our hopes and dreams. As a result, it can be challenging to move forward, especially amid the current confusion and disappointment.

There is so much unknown about our current situation that it is hard to think about the future. In fact, many of us have experienced a cancellation or delay that ultimately took away something we were planning. This happened to me, and I am sure it has happened to many of you.

On top of disappointment and anger about having my plans canceled, I had to deal with growing anxiety about COVID-19 as well as my own mood swings.

These are the times that it helps to be able to talk about mental health. I started learning about mental health issues about two years ago when I attended a panel on suicide prevention that was hosted by Eddy County Community Cares (ECCC.) Since being part of this group, I have learned about the role stress plays on our mental health. I also learned the role hope can have in helping us look to the future.

ECCC was founded 6 years ago by several community members who wanted to support mental health and reduce the number of suicides in the area. Since then, ECCC has grown in the number of volunteers and has offered several pieces of training and events addressing mental health.

ECCC makes efforts that are all about connection. Each week as we go through this crisis, ECCC is working on printing information here in the “Transcript.” They are making extra posts on their Facebook page, all to remind people they are not alone.

Much of the information that they share on their Facebook page builds upon area partnerships. I found a recent video post that included Brittany Long, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner of CHI St. Alexius Health Carrington who offered tips for promoting mental health during the pandemic. She suggested having a daily routine, getting outside each day, eating balanced meals and thinking about others. She said it helps if we think of gratitude and focusing on the good things. She suggests we connect with others, even if it is not face-to-face.

It was a great message and was right in line with the folks at ECCC. So I decided to take some of Brittany’s advice and connect via Facetime with Mindy Meier, the president of ECCC, with a set of questions. I picked her brain about mental health, and we had a great visit, but at the end, when I asked, “How does ECCC plan to spread hope during this difficult time?”

Her enthusiastic reply was, “Why don’t you ask the group!?”

Within a matter of hours, Mindy had arranged a special meeting on Zoom to collect everyone’s thoughts on hope.

As it turns out, this was something ECCC has been well aware of. Ever since day one of the pandemic response, ECCC members have been seeking to bring hope to people.

The group that met with me included Mindy Meier, Calvin Packard, Jennifer Ruppell, Nan Taverna, Karen Omoth, Mike Nicolai and Rachel Brazil.

These are some of the thoughts we shared that evening. The first was about hope itself. The group shared things like:

• Hope is looking to better days. It makes you look forward to better days.

• Hope is not a fairytale. We all have it within us to lead us to positivity.

• Hope is optimism and optimism builds bridges.

• Hope is the spark and the light in the darkness.

• Hope means that there is something to look forward to, something to get up in the morning for. Hope is the purpose and drive of life. Hope is often the fuel of life itself.

As far as my question, ECCC is spreading hope by:

• Help people connect and reach out when they need to.

• Establish Community Care Calls to build connections and ensure those who are lonely have someone to talk to. If you want to make calls, or know someone who might need a call, please contact Karen Omoth or Mindy Meier.

• Increase media presence, whether it is on Facebook, or in the Transcript, ECCC is working hard right now to have a presence as they spread hope and the message, “We’re all in this together.”

ECCC is an open group that welcomes others to join in their monthly meetings, or periodically in different events. They meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the Eddy County Library, and have been meeting virtually the past two meetings.

The next meeting will be May 13. You can learn more by liking their Facebook page: Eddy County Community Cares, or by contacting any of the members.