When a crisis happens, like the Covid-19 pandemic, what do you do? Where do you find solace? Do you have a “comfort zone” which lightens your burden?
Psychologists think this place makes one feel relieved or secure.
Music is my comfort zone. It is an inspiring channel of my memorabilia. My mini library collections of musical, movie, Broadway and literarure masterpieces “make my day.“ Funny, but Facebook also offers me space to express my thoughts and feelings. On social media, I view how my friends find the “kitchen” as their comfort zones where cooking becomes a passion. Also more than ever, our bedroom is my “comfort zone.”
I asked some friends if they have a comfort zone to ease their fears during the pandemic. Some interesting “comfort zones” are the following:
“My office is at home, where my comfort is. It is where I can be sure that mom Zenaida, a senior citizen, has a safe place and this gives me peace of mind wherever I go. Then, in the evening, I watch movies with a cup of coffee. Some nights, friends would drop by and we would have a shot of scotch or two. I think of Dad, going over his stuff, reminiscing good and happy times with him. It is also where his ‘urn’ is, so indeed home means comfort not only to me but to the whole family as well. Dad‘s presence is home to us.” — Dino Yapjoco, entrepreneur
“My comfort zone is playing records and it brings back memories of my childhood and of my parents. It broadens my vocabulary. Music distresses me after long hours of hospital work. Texts from relatives enliven my often drab moments.” — Mimoy Castillo, surgeon
“I love to be in my piano room where I play some immortal instrumentals. My bias for standard tunes is evident every time I touch the ivory keys. It is an escape from the current crisis and it makes me look forward to better years.” — Sam Costanilla, musician and media man
“After work, I enjoy the comfort of my fur babies (three dogs—Maltese, Shitzu and Chihuahua, and two Persian cats). The work-from-home arrangement has given me the luxury to spend quality time with them. And when I’m done with work, I also enjoy cooking my favorite dishes in my tiny kitchen and share the goodness of my home-cooked meals with my loved ones.” — Zandro Sy Guillo, artistic choreographer
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I had a chance to ask past Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu (IBP-Cebu) president Ria Lidia Espina about its group’s participation in helping the Covid-19 survivors. She cited the following:
In late March 2020, the IBP-Cebu started to produce 4,220 face shields for front-liners. These were distributed to the different Cebu hospitals, jails, courts, rural health centers and government offices. Some 600 sets of face shields and washable masks were turned-over to the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) for the police manning the different checkpoints in the Province of Cebu. Furthermore, IBP-Cebu, in cooperation with Tinabangay ta Bai, provided 1,000 bottles of potable/mineral water to Sitio Zapatera during its total lockdown in April 2020.
Some two tons of vegetables (cabbage, carrots, camote, beans and chayote) were given to over 200 displaced boatmen in Mactan Island and habal-habal and tricycle drivers of Minglanilla, Cebu and Talisay City. This program called “Utanon Para Sa Sugbuanon“ aimed to help our farmers as the “produce” were purchased at the Dalaguete Agricultural Pinoy Trading Center. This was a joint project with a sister chapter, IBP-California.