A couple of months into the pandemic in May 2020, I was invited to participate in a one on one backyard chat hosted by Cantor Tiffani Coyot of Temple Isaiah. In addition to being a cantor with a stunningly gorgeous voice, Tifani is also a self described “wellness enthusiast.“

Tifani recognized early on that members of the community were struggling to find ways to cope in what was back then an unprecedented reality. In an effort to offer support, she interviewed various professionals and experts specializing in physical and psychological health and well being.

As we sat in front of our computers in our respective backyards, we discussed a variety of topics. I spoke about the overlap between the pandemic and my disease in terms of learning how to relinquish control and tolerate uncertainty, about the importance of being vulnerable enough to feel our feelings- especially in the face of grief and loss and about my favorite topic, the deeply therapeutic benefits of true emotional intimacy.

My hope as we slowly exit this pandemic is that we carry forward with us the lessons we learned, beyond those related to good hand washing. Getting comfortable with discomfort is an incredibly valuable skill to hone, pandemic or not.

I also hope that we as a society can remember how capable we are at adapting to meet the needs of everyone. People with disabilities are the world’s largest in minority, yet it took a global pandemic to make essential activities like shopping and doctors’ appointments more accessible with curbside pick ups and telemedicine appointments. (More on that in a future post.)

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we are all more capable of changing and growing than we realize.

Below is the video of our chat…