I’ve been in a form of self-quarantine for the past two weeks. I traveled through O’Hare on the way home from a business trip, and I just felt more comfortable not getting out much. I kept one doctor’s appointment, went to the grocery a couple of times, got take-away food, and went to the feed store to get plants. Wow, guess that’s more outings than I thought!
But except for checkout clerks (and I stood way back from them), I’ve pretty much had little to no face to face social interaction. Gus and Gabriel are sticking close. With lots of phone calls, some business calls, a Zoom meeting or two, a couple of FaceTimes – technology is keeping me connected to the outside world. I’m now checking in with the news only a couple of times a day. It’s no longer a constant drum beat in the background.
In the beginning, I was antsy, angry and scared. Don’t want to get sick. Don’t want Catlin to get sick. Don’t want anyone I love affected by this horrible virus. But as time marched on, I became less agitated. I realize that I’m actually pretty calm.
I’ve been forced to just stop.
And I like it. This life – the life I’m now living – will be my life for the foreseeable future, minus the eating out, the interaction with friends, and the easy dropping in to a store or even the gas station. I miss those things. But I still haven’t completed a daily to do list. There’s a project everywhere I look here – and there’s also just sitting.
I think about the ways our world has changed. Bad things are still happening. Friends are dealing with cancer diagnoses, with the loss of a loved one, with medical emergencies. They can’t do these horribly life-altering things through the normal procedures, with their normal coping skills. We can’t gather in groups of ten or more. Patients aren’t allowed visitors in most hospitals. Heck, we can’t even go into the vet’s office with the dog right now.
But even in the midst of life’s true tragedies, we are learning new ways to cope. Video chats with patients and nurses. Graveside services instead of a packed church. It’s not optimal, by any means, but we are finding ways to care for our loved ones, honor our traditions and discover new strengths in the process.
Several clients have mentioned that they will never go back to a normal office environment. They’ve discovered that certain members of their team absolutely kick butt when they work from 9p – 3a, but they just don’t quite mesh with the normal 9a-5p office hours. New superstars are emerging, just from the simple fact of letting people work when they are most productive. Many offices will telecommute at least a few days a week after all of this is over. One client holds short Zoom meetings with his staff twice a day to see each other and to touch base. Offices have marched right on.
School is going back in session from spring break, and students/teachers will be navigating distance learning. One of my friends is teaching her dance classes on Zoom. Catlin will be teaching her Mommy and Me music classes the same way. Kids are having play dates, putting on plays, doing talent shows, having story time – all with their friends, all online.
Churches are streaming live – often via a cell phone and Facebook. The late night TV talk shows are moving online, as are parts of the morning live TV news programs. It’s intimate, it’s personal, it’s rough and it’s not produced. But it works. Who knew Jimmy Fallon has a two-story slide in his house?!
One of my friends started a Facebook baking challenge. The group now stands at over 500 members. Another started a daily sing-a-long. There are craft groups, art groups – so many ways to reach out. Museums all over the world are putting their collections online through video tours. Symphonies, operas, Broadway – all are joining them with live or taped online performances.
This virus may have us paralyzed as a nation, as far as our regular daily movements. It will likely take many more lives before it goes into hibernation until the next infection cycle. We are looking at job losses, money worries, lives and plans disrupted, some forever. A part of our minds is simply numb, unbelieving that our world is so upended in every way possible. It is a worldwide nightmare.
But we are figuring it out. One of the news people calls us AmeriCANS. And that’s true. This crazy optimistic American spirit is working full-out right now to adapt and to move forward as we take care of ourselves and our families. And as spring begins to get the pollen levels elevated in a serious way, we are exactly where we need to be right now.
At home. Safe. With the power to reach out electronically when we need to, and to take pride in the realization that we are truly adaptable and resilient…at 62 – and beyond.
At 62 