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All of us have a story to share.
Some are joyful. Some are teary. Some provide perspectives. Several are downright heartbreaking. Others are simply inspiring.
I've been receiving and exchanging stories of COVID-19 lockdowns with business and government leaders from around the world since June. As the third wave of the pandemic handcuffs some nations and borders, I turn my attention to you - readers and followers of Affluent Society - and your emails and feedback to me these past months.
While I continue serving my sentence in Melbourne, I will try my best to tell your story.
This Human Stories Series is a cumulation of stories shared with Affluent Society by its readers and followers from around the world.
Ellis Walton a.k.a Chef Scoota is a culinary school graduate, herbalist, caterer and entrepreneur in Memphis, Tennessee. He is currently working for himself and trying to build a business with his prep meals, sauces and herbal tinctures and drinks. He fears he is unable to attain the vision he has for his life and future due to everything that is going on around the globe with COVID-19. He has a lot of past trauma that has resurfaced, which he is facing head on since the beginning of the lockdown. The virus has revealed the true colors of a lot of the people around him. He is currently just trying to wake up happy each day. He is not the only one.
This is Ellis Walton's story as shared with Affluent Society from the US:
Sadness
What makes me sad is my deteriorating relationship with my family, the lack of empathy and just replaying traumatic experiences in my mind. The core to all these issues have hindered me long enough and I have begun to start healing. I am glad I am able to now speak on what makes me sad and understand that yes I am sad but this sadness will not be permanent and better days are to come.
Life is too short to be negative. If you are in a negative space, its okay. Just don’t stay there.
Overcoming Loss
Growing up I didn’t have a mother in my life. I had three beautiful aunties and on 2 June 2020, God called one of them home to heaven. This sadness hit me like a boulder because the night before she passed I had the weirdest goosebumps and nervousness in my stomach. I had an interview the next day for a job and I thought maybe I was just nervous because of that. Turns out that connection I had with my auntie was out of this world because I knew something was happening but just didn’t know she would be leaving this Earth.
I have fought with mental illnesses for years, talked about for being gay and shunned by family, friends and the world but my auntie was always my number one supporter. She encouraged me to go further even when my own parents would not do so. I cry every single day because I talked to this woman everyday about everything with no judgement. It somewhat gets better each day but honestly this void in my life will never be filled. I have begun to start accepting the fact that I now have a beautiful angel watching over me to steer me in the right direction.
My dream in life is to be a ray of light to those who come from darkness like myself.
Finding Happiness
What makes me most happy right now is seeing all the ideas that I had a few years ago finally come into fruition. When I am in the kitchen it feels like I have escaped the world and entered into my own domain and happy little bubble. I can operate in a way that works best for me and not have to be pressured or rush. I basically have turned my imaginative world into my own reality.
I am also happiest when I am out and about in nature. I have never been one to go to gyms to exercise and since COVID-19 I feel I got in touch with my inner child happiness. I ride my bike all through downtown Memphis on the riverfront. I walk at multiple parks from the urban areas to the suburbs. I see so much beauty in life where I never once took the time to look and pay attention to. Happiness has become a mindset that I chase after each day and I am blessed to be alive.
I have fought with mental illnesses for years, talked about for being gay and shunned by family, friends and the world
Helping others
My dream in life is to be a ray of light to those who come from darkness like myself. It would be so cliché for me to say I want a food blogging and cooking show, maybe even a podcast and of course my own enterprise of products. But those things are not the dream.
The dream is me being able to help people whom I know need help. In my life I have witnessed those who have, ignore others who have not. Having the chance to simply HAVE and be a blessing to the next person through my art will make my heart grow bigger than this universe.
DO NOT STOP! KEEP GOING AND GOING! The world may be in uproar right now. People may be dying and knowing all of this, let’s just try to take a step in a more positive direction. Help those in need. Let’s not add pressure to our family but be more of an optimist. Life is too short to be negative. If you are in a negative space, its okay. Just don’t stay there.
Say hello to Ellis Walton at https://www.facebook.com/ellism.walton
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