Invisible scars: The hidden trauma of being labeled ‘non-essential’

“Only when the tide goes out do you learn who has been swimming naked.“— Warren Buffet.

Okay, let’s face it, we’ve all been harbouring a deep and dramatic secret. I know I certainly am— a revelation that hit me like a thunderbolt during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a stark, uncomfortable realization that the work I do, much like that of countless others, was abruptly labeled ‘non-essential.’

This term, ‘non-essential,’ echoed in my mind, a jarring reminder of our society’s sudden re-evaluation of value and importance. It’s a secret that, I suspect, resonates with many of us, a shared experience in a world turned upside down by a global crisis.

You’re not an essential worker!”

Excuse me, what?

Alright, my reading friends, grab a tissue, a hot toddy, and perhaps phone a friend, because it’s high time we unpack this slightly absurd yet poignant aftermath of our recent collective human experience.

Ah, the Covid 19 Pandemic — remember when job titles got as politically charged as a U.S. election night? Suddenly, you were either in the 'essential' camp (cheers to the nurses and doctors) or, like many of us, lumped into…