My son is currently studying in Shanghai, China. He picked his graduate program specifically because of the opportunity to live and learn in China. A perfect fit for him. Currently in Wuhan, China there is an outbreak of the coronavirus. This outbreak is a concern for people worldwide. With the news around the virus we have had a number of people contact us to share their concerns for our son, and their fears around the virus. It is so natural for fear to rise at times like this. With all of the current events in the world, there is an increase in the importance of sharing information and feelings with each other. Creating a safe place for conversations is vital to personal growth and also for positive relationships. These conversations are a way to ferret out truths, shed light on the topics and open doors for understanding. These conversations also help us look at issues from more than one perspective, an essential step in getting to what is true.With all of the information people have access to - through the many different ways we can receive it, there is an increase of, what I call, the “mis’s”. The mis’s are misinformation, miscommunication, misunderstanding, misgivings, even mistrust. People are reacting to assumptions, unverified information, that they have heard, or think they have heard, and more. All of this gives energy to the mis’s, which can raise fears, then, the fears feed the mis’s. And so on and so forth. I know that I tend to react to what I hear or read, before I validate the information or my feelings.I want to try change how I respond. As more news about the coronavirus and other current events becomes available in the news, on social media and through personal sharing, I am going to give my best effort to verify before I respond. To get a handle on my feelings, and find the right questions and reflections that open up the opportunity for honest conversations with the people around me. I want to create a place of mutual respect for us to share our fears and help form more supportive healthy communities.Will you join me?

Spreading Joy