I was on the road working with a new client when the WHO announced that the novel coronavirus was now considered to be a worldwide pandemic. I must admit, even though I’m usually pretty unflappable, I had a moment when I teared up and just flat wanted my mom!!
At 62, I’ve never experienced anything like this. Parts of it, yes. After 9/11, all flight stopped. Work travel mostly stopped. I’ve lived through stock crashes, recessions, gas lines and national riots. Hurricane prep and empty stores. The fear of Ebola, SARS, MERS, and more. But all of it at once? No.
The uncertainty, the lack of testing, the unfamiliarity with the disease, the threat of mortality, the need for national isolation, the constantly changing news – all are wearing on our nation’s collective psyche and nibbling on our very last nerve.
A friend made an excellent recommendation – we should all just go on a month-long fishing trip.
We are being encouraged to stay home. Work remotely. Schools are closing. Entertainment venues are going dark. Large gatherings are cancelled. Businesses are working to remain open, especially service businesses. Our nation is half-open, half-closed. We’re not quite sure what’s next.
What to do with forced isolation of a couple of weeks or a couple of months? I have work projects. I work mostly remotely, so that’s no change. There’s NPR, the TV, Netflix and other movie channels. But what else?
There will be cooking. Excellent time to sort the junk room or junk drawer. Time to craft, to read, to start prepping the yard for spring. Do our taxes. Walk around the yard and enjoy the spring sunshine – or rain. If there are kids in your house, read books, play games, tell stories.
Just slow down. Recharge frazzled batteries. Cuddle up with the pets. Don’t look at your retirement accounts. Check in with the news just long enough to stay informed – and listen to the calm of NPR when you do.
And I hope we carry part of this into the future. Automatically wash our hands and cover our coughs. Learn the necessity of staying home when we are sick – and develop some sort of national sick leave plan for all workers. Keep emergency supplies on hand – especially extra toilet paper!
It’s a national attempt to stay healthy. I’m praying that I will. I’m praying all who I love will move through this unscathed. I’m praying this is soon over, that paychecks will quickly flow again, that disrupted lives will move forward and be made whole. I’m praying that we find some peace and ease of soul in this forced slowdown.
Praying for good health for all…at 62.
At 62 