Covid-19 Lock Down Thoughts
Seven weeks ago we woke up to school being on a break for two weeks and then two weeks of online schooling. Now we are on our fifth week of online schooling and our fifth week of being in lock down. No social interaction except with the people that live in our home! Who knew back in February that this would be our new normal! People working from home. Restaurants, malls, movie theaters, opera houses, metro, any sign of a normal life, CLOSED! Here is what I have learned in this self isolation:
1. I loved my life! The crazy rush, the social connections, even the daily grind, I loved it all!
2. I need a lot less then I think I need! My life is confined to my home and garden. Yet, I have managed to remain productive.
3. I need social interaction! As great as social media and video calls are, nothing beats being with friends face to face! I want to meet my friends in a cafe and chat.
4. Confined or otherwise I remain true to myself! I have not suddenly become something I am not! I still like and do what I always have.
5. Gratitude has always been a part of my psyche! With all this pandemic changes, I have become more grateful for the little things in life. Fresh air, a walk on the beach, freedom to drive anywhere I wish, to be with those I love on a whim, to go to a store just because.
6. I hate housework! Compounded with my family being in the house, which makes it doubly difficult to clean, I do not enjoy mopping, dusting, or washing.
7. I appreciate not having as much laundry to do! With everyone not going anywhere our choices in outfits is limited to sweat-pants, pajamas, and shorts! No school uniforms, no dress shirts, no dresses.
8. I love my family! I miss them terribly and want to spend time with them. They bring something special to my day that no one else can.
9. I admire my children even more! They have faced this life challenge with strength, humor, flexibility, and resilience.
10. I am sad for humanity! I am sad for people that cannot make ends meet, for those that have lost their jobs, for those that find themselves destitute for no fault of their own.
11. I am heartbroken for my son and all of Class of 2020! He will not have a last day of school, a prom, or any senior year rituals. He is uncertain of his future and what is to come.
12. I am surprised at the silence! The silence all around me. The neighborhood has gone quite. No sounds of kids playing, no balls bouncing, no wheels of tricycles rolling by, no dogs barking outdoors, no grass mower, no sound of runners. Nothing but the birds singing.
13. I am amazed at how much I miss my car! I have always loved driving and the freedom it offers me, to go anywhere at a drop of a hat. Now I miss it more than I could imagine
14. I am very happy that I have always loved books! I have always said a book can take you far while you are still in your chair, and it is exactly what I need on long endless days cooped inside.
15. I am shocked at how easily our life as we know it just stopped! How we all followed warnings and rules of social distancing and isolation with little tangible proof. We took for gospel whatever our governments have told us, probably for the first time in our lives.
16. I am distressed by the fear mongering the media has resorted to. Any form of media is full of death and destruction. All news outlets keep repeating the number of deaths. Thousands have contracted this disease and recovered or have had no symptoms. Where are those stories?
17. I am disheartened by the lack of free will in the populace. We have shut ourselves away in our homes without researching or doing our due diligence to the effects of the virus. There are seven billion humans on the planet, what percentage has Corona-virus? We remain indoors protecting our health but at what cost to everything else? Is it worth it in the long run?
18. I applaud all the humor! A good laugh at a time like this is what we all need. There has been tons of creative humor related to this disease, and that has lightened the load tremendously.
19. I am thankful for our planet! Our land is the source of all our health if we treat it properly. All the nourishment we need, the air we breathe, and the water we drink needs to be pure and fresh. The last 50 years we have made sure to destroy the environment. Ruined the soil, clogged the air with pollution, and filled our clean water sources with garbage. Our planet has been able to breathe again thanks to the human race being locked away.
20. I am forever blessed! My family and I are healthy, we are in our own home, sleeping in our own bed, we have plenty to eat, a garden to sit in, plenty of in-home entertainment, and rewarded with more than we need.
21. I enjoy writing! It brings me a feeling of peace and offers me calm when I am stressed. I discovered new forms of writing recently, as time is on my side.
22. My own company is actually quite pleasant! I do not mind spending time with me, myself, and I. I enjoy my own company, and I know how to keep myself amused (most days).
23. I have not had an epiphany or a break through! I have not suddenly woken up to a realization of any grand magnitude. I appreciate the life I have had, the places I have traveled, the people I have met, the experiences I have been through, the knowledge I have acquired, the dreams I have fulfilled, and I would like the opportunity to go back to do all that again.
24. I like living not just existing! I enjoy every emotion that comes with a full life, that includes a buffet of daily events.
25. I am positive that things will change and we will go back to a life we want to live and not one we have to live. The only thing guaranteed is that things will change. We will wake up one day and this nightmare will be over. In the meantime, in the words of Winnie The Pooh "it never hurts to keep looking for sunshine", even if that is just in our mind.
2. I need a lot less then I think I need! My life is confined to my home and garden. Yet, I have managed to remain productive.
3. I need social interaction! As great as social media and video calls are, nothing beats being with friends face to face! I want to meet my friends in a cafe and chat.
4. Confined or otherwise I remain true to myself! I have not suddenly become something I am not! I still like and do what I always have.
5. Gratitude has always been a part of my psyche! With all this pandemic changes, I have become more grateful for the little things in life. Fresh air, a walk on the beach, freedom to drive anywhere I wish, to be with those I love on a whim, to go to a store just because.
6. I hate housework! Compounded with my family being in the house, which makes it doubly difficult to clean, I do not enjoy mopping, dusting, or washing.
7. I appreciate not having as much laundry to do! With everyone not going anywhere our choices in outfits is limited to sweat-pants, pajamas, and shorts! No school uniforms, no dress shirts, no dresses.
8. I love my family! I miss them terribly and want to spend time with them. They bring something special to my day that no one else can.
9. I admire my children even more! They have faced this life challenge with strength, humor, flexibility, and resilience.
10. I am sad for humanity! I am sad for people that cannot make ends meet, for those that have lost their jobs, for those that find themselves destitute for no fault of their own.
11. I am heartbroken for my son and all of Class of 2020! He will not have a last day of school, a prom, or any senior year rituals. He is uncertain of his future and what is to come.
12. I am surprised at the silence! The silence all around me. The neighborhood has gone quite. No sounds of kids playing, no balls bouncing, no wheels of tricycles rolling by, no dogs barking outdoors, no grass mower, no sound of runners. Nothing but the birds singing.
13. I am amazed at how much I miss my car! I have always loved driving and the freedom it offers me, to go anywhere at a drop of a hat. Now I miss it more than I could imagine
14. I am very happy that I have always loved books! I have always said a book can take you far while you are still in your chair, and it is exactly what I need on long endless days cooped inside.
15. I am shocked at how easily our life as we know it just stopped! How we all followed warnings and rules of social distancing and isolation with little tangible proof. We took for gospel whatever our governments have told us, probably for the first time in our lives.
16. I am distressed by the fear mongering the media has resorted to. Any form of media is full of death and destruction. All news outlets keep repeating the number of deaths. Thousands have contracted this disease and recovered or have had no symptoms. Where are those stories?
17. I am disheartened by the lack of free will in the populace. We have shut ourselves away in our homes without researching or doing our due diligence to the effects of the virus. There are seven billion humans on the planet, what percentage has Corona-virus? We remain indoors protecting our health but at what cost to everything else? Is it worth it in the long run?
18. I applaud all the humor! A good laugh at a time like this is what we all need. There has been tons of creative humor related to this disease, and that has lightened the load tremendously.
19. I am thankful for our planet! Our land is the source of all our health if we treat it properly. All the nourishment we need, the air we breathe, and the water we drink needs to be pure and fresh. The last 50 years we have made sure to destroy the environment. Ruined the soil, clogged the air with pollution, and filled our clean water sources with garbage. Our planet has been able to breathe again thanks to the human race being locked away.
20. I am forever blessed! My family and I are healthy, we are in our own home, sleeping in our own bed, we have plenty to eat, a garden to sit in, plenty of in-home entertainment, and rewarded with more than we need.
21. I enjoy writing! It brings me a feeling of peace and offers me calm when I am stressed. I discovered new forms of writing recently, as time is on my side.
22. My own company is actually quite pleasant! I do not mind spending time with me, myself, and I. I enjoy my own company, and I know how to keep myself amused (most days).
23. I have not had an epiphany or a break through! I have not suddenly woken up to a realization of any grand magnitude. I appreciate the life I have had, the places I have traveled, the people I have met, the experiences I have been through, the knowledge I have acquired, the dreams I have fulfilled, and I would like the opportunity to go back to do all that again.
24. I like living not just existing! I enjoy every emotion that comes with a full life, that includes a buffet of daily events.
25. I am positive that things will change and we will go back to a life we want to live and not one we have to live. The only thing guaranteed is that things will change. We will wake up one day and this nightmare will be over. In the meantime, in the words of Winnie The Pooh "it never hurts to keep looking for sunshine", even if that is just in our mind.
Hilarious and authentic. Some of the funniest description of this crazy crisis. May humor and humility always carry you through this weird period!
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully written Hilda mou, so descriptive of who you are, so pleasant to read, and yes, something good will come out of this crisis! Your writing style is admirable, yallah, write a book! Wishing you and your family continued good health, love and happiness. Sybil Hofmann
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