Don’t Use ‘Drama Language’ to Talk About the Coronavirus
Elizabeth Gilbert offers a question to ask yourself before you speak
It seems like 100% of my conversations over the past week have been about the coronavirus, in one way or another. Here in Spain, the government recently imposed a lockdown to contain the outbreak. I’m scared. I’m worried about my two little boys. I’m worried about my wife. I’m worried about our parents, who have their fair share of health issues. I’ve been getting sucked into the panic that’s being amplified by the news and my social circle, and I know I haven’t been completely mindful of my words.
But then the other day, while scrolling through Instagram for the first time in over a month (we’re in quarantine — I needed an escape), I came across a video from author Elizabeth Gilbert. She described something that happened to her last week: While working in Australia, rumors about a travel ban began to swirl. She became rattled and hurriedly started sending her family members messages to let them know she was going to try to catch the next flight home.
