will discover the God who inhabits within us and speaks to us with words of life, love and hope.   "The great work of God in man is wrought within" - as what Blessed Francisco Palau,  OCD (Order of Discalced Carmelite) says.   It takes courage to enter the temple of our soul.  Learning to detach from our own self and from all creatures are the keys to enter within.

During these days of home confinement, how many actions of solidarity are we able to generate spiritually?   So far, we have seen the kindness, solidarity and sacrifices of those who leave home every day to work, to save lives, or to guarantee that we have access to the most basic goods and services: doctors and nurses, those who replenish products in supermarkets, cleaners, caregivers, transporters, security forces, volunteers, priests, religious and so many others who willingly sacrificed themselves so that others might live.   How many times do we pause and pray for them?  How many times do we thank God that we are still alive because there are many people like them?  

Majority are anxious and traumatized because of the present realities that the whole world is facing.  So many questions come into our mind that we do not know the answer,  but isn’t it an invitation to pause and to listen to Someone who knows the answer?  Perhaps, that Someone was throwing another question and we failed to listen to His question.  His question might be the answer to our questions.  Not unless we know how to listen, then our hearts will never be at peace.  Only then, we will learn how to transcend and to accept this present reality even if we do not understand it.  We accept because we BELIEVE.

The examples we are seeing can help us to trust humanity again.  Despite all the shadows and how complex reality is, we can be people of HOPE, communicating to those who are near and far that we will come out of this situation and we will come out together, together with the help of God.  Without a doubt, our relationship with one another, the environment and God will not be the same at the end of this experience. Trust, solidarity and hope - they are the values ​​that this moment of crisis brings to us. It will be up to us to develop a new way of co-existing in the future, where the sense of communion prevails.  

Those of us who have stayed at home, let us grab the extraordinary opportunity of being able to write or call those people we love and even those we may have neglected. Take the opportunity to spread good feelings to your family, friends, neighbours, from near or far.    Express your noblest feelings.   Don't re-send bad news, hoaxes, fake news, but  spread the virtues of love, care, hope and solidarity!

In this time of world crisis, from our faith, we can affirm that we are in God's best hands.  Jesus Christ who died on the cross has risen from the dead.  Let us learn in time of need to trust God, to trust HIM, and to wait for HIS Fatherly protection.  ​

At times I am wondering, is this part of God’s answer?  “New Normal”  the common expression nowadays,  but everyday we are called to be new, reminded for our conversion and challenge for transformation, and this is NORMAL in our life.  Let this “New Normal” be an invitation for us to live our life anew.  Let us spread our love and build relationships.  Who knows our simple message or call can change the life of another person?

#InTouchStoriesofHope aims to bring you mental and emotional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through the inspiring stories and perspectives of In Touch community of counselors, volunteers, partners, and clients.

Sr. Dedith Moralde is a religious sister of the Carmelite Missionary assign in Lismore, Australia.  Before coming to Australia she was the National Vocation Directress in their Congregation for 7 years.   December 2018 when she Graduated Diploma in Christian Counselling in Sydney, Australia.  Presently, she is the missionary volunteer in Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia working as Catholic Chaplain. Sr. Dedith is also an In Touch Community Services Mental Health Volunteer.
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When I was in second year high school, I suffered from a long bout of depression brought by the sexual abuse which started at five years old and continued until I was in high school. From being a student leader and poised to become the batch valedictorian, I started neglecting my studies. I skipped classes and exerted minimum effort if I was pressed to attend some at all.  
 
Through the years that followed, I sought relationships which further undermined my (almost) non- existent self- esteem. I unconsciously chose people who took advantage of me. I thought that being compliant would make me lovable, that people would stay. I did everything I thought would make them stay but failed miserably. Each time someone left, which was another confirmation of my worthlessness, I was devastated.
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​A conversation with my daughter that I would always remember was the time she complained that her nose was not as nice as her cousins’. Growing up, I did not like my nose either. My legs, my hair, my height, were not satisfactory as well. Perhaps I failed to realize my uniqueness because each time someone would point out something likable about me, my mother would immediately counter it in the spirit of modesty. A lady neighbor would say, “You have beautiful legs.” My mother would reply, “But it’s not nicely shaped”. Someone else would pipe in, “Your hair has a nice bounce to it.” She would retort, “I’ve told her (referring to me) to have it cut because it’s already summertime.” Those seemingly innocent remarks from my mother made a deep impression on my young mind. Hence, I was mostly an unhappy child. Since that conversation with my daughter, I have resolved to myself that she would grow up accepting and loving herself fully. She would believe that she could be anything she wanted to be. I do my best to express my love for her and admiration for her unique gifts and talents each day. I celebrate with her whenever she praises herself after having finished her tasks suitably. 
 
Things seemed to have finally turned out for the better until ten years later, my old friend depression visited again when a personal catastrophe happened. I wish I could say that I knew better that I had better coping skills. But no, I spent several months inside my room, overwhelmed by the searing pain in my heart. Yet again, the fact that I am responsible for my daughter and the entire household pulled me out of my hiding. I was browsing the Internet for the contact numbers of a helpline in the Philippines. Instead of calling their responder for some advice, I found myself inquiring about their volunteer training program. Perhaps what I needed then was distraction. It was a meaningful distraction.
 
The tools and techniques we learned during the classroom training and practicum are of immense help in delivering the best service to our clients amidst the COVID- 19 pandemic. Additionally, I draw from my own wealth of experience and guide them to think of exceptions and small steps towards their desired future state. Whenever someone thanks me for listening and helping them explore all the available options, whenever they laugh before we end the conversation after having cried at the start due to feelings of helplessness, I am reminded that even if I may be struggling myself at times, I can still help others in my own unique way. It might be surprising to some, but I feel helped every time I am able to help someone in need. I am inspired by our clients’ determination to improve their financial situation, relationship, or work condition despite these trying times. 

I still have a long way to go before I can finally declare I am fully healed but I have already travelled far from where I used to be. The journey from sexual trauma to depression to personal triumph is an uphill climb fraught with detours, roadblocks, and others but I charge forward. You can, too.

#InTouchStoriesofHope aims to bring you mental and emotional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through the inspiring stories and perspectives of In Touch community of counselors, volunteers, partners, and clients.
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#InTouchStoriesofHope aims to bring you mental and emotional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through the inspiring stories and perspectives of In Touch community of counselors, volunteers, partners, and clients.

my mind to buy his produce as I neared him. The lady in front of me must have been equally stirred, though, as she purchased all the goods he was holding before I can even traverse the remaining distance. When I asked him if he still had some remaining produce to sell, he cheerfully showed me the empty makeshift basket strapped to his bike, and replied, “Naku, ubos na, Ma’am”. I can sense the triumphant smile behind his face mask. He gets to go home early on this good day.

The encounter would have ended there, but he surprised me with a small chat before we parted ways. Mindful to observe physical distancing as we talked, he shared about how he was actually helping sell his neighbor’s garden produce by coming to the same spot in front of the grocery store every day with the fresh harvest in tow. I smiled at that thought. Here was a man who stayed in touch with his neighbors, lending a helping hand in ways that he could, inviting us to reignite our sense of community one bag of okra at a time.

Just like that, I came home from that grocery trip with a smile and a gentle reminder that we do not need to wait for the day when we can finally hold grand get together events, volunteer drives or big social ceremonies to revive the life of our community. It is already alive in every simple encounter we have, perhaps with our neighbor or the delivery guy knocking on our door. Greet them back warmly, have a small chat, and send them off with a smile. Observe the safety measures in place while making the most out of these brief moments. After all, you are a vein through which the life of the community flows. Let that life flow freely.

#InTouchStoriesofHope aims to bring you mental and emotional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through the inspiring stories and perspectives of In Touch community of counselors, volunteers, partners, and clients.

​Gazelle Serrano is a mental health (MH) advocate who believes in the invaluable contribution of the arts in fostering support for the MH cause. Since 2016, she has lent her stories to various events that splash together the arts and MH advocacy, some of which include Buhay Movement's open mic events, van Gogh is Bipolar's Love Project and Daniel dela Cruz' Finding the Light Testimonials. Gazelle volunteers with In Touch Community Services for its Community Support Program.
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Why on earth did I choose the last day before the ECQ lockdown to go to Landmark Super?  It was the day when everyone (except me) knew that life was about to change significantly here in Manila.  I had a friend visiting me on her way to Europe and we had casually decided to pick up a few things. From the entrance, I gazed across the sea of humanity, pointlessly searched for a trolley or basket and then launched into the fray annoyed at my lack of planning.  Within minutes my calm demeanour slipped as I barked demands at my guest to “grab what she thought we might need”.  She was great and had a fun time chatting with people and laughing at me.  I played along with her good spirits but I was distressed.  It wasn’t so much panic buying as feeling foolish buying.  Why hadn’t I taken the situation a bit more seriously? 

Over the coming days there were more and more changes.  All the thoughtfully curated activities I had arranged for us fell like dominoes in my calendar.  Cancellations, postponements, apologies and commitments to “see you again soon” came through almost immediately and my spirits went with them.  Selfishly, I bristled as various rules and restrictions were imposed. I scanned the developments worldwide for a fast solution on the horizon but every place had their own theories and individual response.  If it were not for the escalating human toll, the social science of it was fascinating.  My own sense of responsibility kicked in after a brief visit to a local hospital demonstrated what no number of PSA’s could get across.  The situation was serious and my job was to listen to the directives and follow them without question. It was not all about me but I had my part to play as everyone did their best with the information available to them.  I reset my thinking to “Calm down and it will pass in time”.  But time did pass and we remain occupied by COVID19 indefinitely.  That life I had and was waiting to resume was gone with no sign of returning soon.  Now what?

Within minutes on that day in Landmark, my old life began a transformation.  Although I resisted the change at the beginning, as soon as I saw this as an opportunity for growth; positive changes emerged for me personally amongst the upheaval.

The great gift of isolation has been the opportunity to reassess my life and edit the time vampires. So how do I determine what is or isn’t adding value?  I’ll illustrate with a few examples:

• A social life is about quality more than quantity (or don’t let FOMO rule your life). It’s ok to not go to everything.  Events and invitations are always welcome but not always the right thing for me at that time. Then there’s the traffic and transport stress that may mean arriving late or leaving early for the next thing and barely having time to really appreciate all the effort that has been invested by the host. The show will go on regardless and everyone benefits when I give my full attention to the events I choose to go to.  Less really is more.
• Health is Wealth. Although I am not able to participate in beloved group exercise classes that are fun and create community spirit; with discipline I can continue to work on my health regardless of the situation. In fact, the ability to exercise without being concerned about appearance, feeling competitive or lacking the same skills as others means I can concentrate on my progress.  The freedom to move in good health is denied to many so I should protect mine as a priority.
• Authentic and positive action. The best way for me to help others is to connect authentically with their needs and best interests.  I can’t help all people all of the time but surely I can help someone most of the time?  Sometimes helping is simply following a direction (“Wear your face mask!”) or it may be a gift to those who have been unemployed during the lockdown.  It could be that someone requires my time and attention to help them move through their journey. If I’m observant, I can always find a way to serve others meaningfully.
• No cancelled appointments! Those hairdressers and dentists that have been offline?  I am so looking forward to them taking my calls again. I would like the essential services category to be a little wider but you can’t always get what you want.  

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At the beginning of the pandemic we longed for things to “get back to normal”.  Over time, we have moved on to looking forward to a “new normal”.  When life is moving at a regular pace we barely notice how much it changes.  The sudden disruption worldwide has now been going on since early 2020 and we may never return to the good old days of last year. Dr Maxwell Maltz in 1960 wrote:

“These, and many other commonly observed phenomena, tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to gel.”

We have far exceeded 21 days of this crisis and so our ideas, habits and lifestyles, even the way we remember our old lives, has changed.  We face a choice as we move forward whether to abandon our lockdown life lessons or adopt them long term. The good news is that we still have time to work on ourselves if we haven’t done so already.  The even better news is that when the storm has passed over us, we can continue to assess and edit our life based on our own personal criteria.  

So the real question is: What happened to my old life and do I really want it back again?

#InTouchStoriesofHope aims to bring you mental and emotional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through the inspiring stories and perspectives of In Touch community of counselors, volunteers, partners, and clients.
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Julia Cope has been living in Manila since August 2019 but has moved around Asia for the past 20 years including two previous postings to the Philippines, a place she loves dearly. Originally from the tourism and hospitality sector in Australia, she practices various health and wellness treatments. Julia volunteers with In Touch Community Services Foreign Liaison department.