(Editor’s note: This essay is part of Bethesda Beat’s Coronavirus Chronicles personal essay series. Visit the submission page to learn more.)
Early on Saturday morning, Feb. 29, I was relaxing in Bethesda when I received a call from a number I didn’t recognize. My parents had been involved in a serious car accident near their home in South Carolina. They were in the Trauma ICU with multiple fractures. I was to come immediately.
I was at a critical phase in my Bethesda-based business start-up. It was put on indefinite hold. My family and I had to think about long-term care for our parents. There were decisions to make, bills to pay and life to organize for all of us. Hardest of all, I had to find a quick solution for my 17-year old daughter, a junior in high school at B-CC.
And then, the coronavirus hit.
Over the years, I’ve learned that in the face of a great challenge, I will be resilient if I’ve have taken care of three things: mind, body and spirit. I realize it is my parents who have helped instill this belief in me. It is a gift that has supported my family and me through many challenges in life.
My parents are regaining their strength every day. We are here with them in South Carolina, helping them rehabilitate. My son and daughter have joined us and are mastering remote learning. Like everyone, we are sheltering in place. I miss my daily walks in Bethesda, our friends, activities, our life.
We never know when or how a tragedy will strike. By keeping our brains active and alert and always in a learning mode, our mind is there for us. By staying physically fit and healthy, our body is there for us. By keeping our souls calm and focused on the positive, our spirit is there for us.
We will get through this together.
Joy Conlon is an entrepreneur who lives in Bethesda.
Read other essays in the Coronavirus Chronicles series.
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