Last night, I went to the store to buy some toothpaste, and the clerks told me there was a rush on toilet paper, it was all sound out, along with anti-bacterial soap. She said people were frightened and confused.
I went to see my mechanic today to pick up my car, which was being serviced. We were talking about the coronavirus, and all the closings involving schools, gatherings, and some communities.
“Well,” he said, “that’s interesting. It is going to be a lot like the old days. That’s good; we had time to think then, I hope people will take time out to think. Maybe we’ll all be less crazy.”
I hadn’t thought of that until he talked to me.
But it does sound a lot like what I imagine the old days to be.
Less shopping, less spending, driving to stores, less traveling, rushing, less screaming at political rallies, more time at home, more time to read.
We are all pausing, getting read for some time in a place, some of us even being locked down in place. We are being told to put our lives on pause for a few weeks, and since it is not voluntary, it is frightening.
But perhaps, for some people, it is an opportunity.
You can look at it is a prison sentence, a time to be bored and restless. I think I’m going to look at it as a time of reflection. We are a busy, frantic people. I am beginning to look forward to the next few weeks in one sense.
Nobody wants to be sick, and I think of those who are all the time. But many of us are not sick, at least not yet, and I don’t assume we will be. People need one another, and if I take precautions and pay attention, I can still have lunch with my friends or invite them over. We just have to thoughtful, healthy, and wash up.
I don’t plan to isolate myself from all humanity without a specific reason voluntarily.
I intend to gather myself, to do more meditating, walking, reflecting, reading, talking to Maria. Everything happens for a reason in my mind, and everything that happens is a gift.
I might miss it when I am free again. For me, everything good that is in my head comes from solitude. I wonder if people can find peace in what they call Quarantine?
I am thinking about my life, my country, and what the government is supposed to be. Like many people, I took these things for granted. I am not doing that now, and that is a boon for freedom and democracy.
One of the messages I get is to consider a less pressured and impulsive life; perhaps Mother Earth is sending us another message – slow down, think, I don’t need as much as I think I need.
Being in solitude is a gift, not a sentence.
There are all sorts of ways to look at the world. Pain is inevitable, and suffering is a choice.
Maybe our sister, the Earth, is warning us once again to listen to her cautions and cries and calls for help and consider how we are living.
Or she will take life into her own hands.
An excellent reminder for us all. Thank you!
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR POSTING THIS TODAY!
I’M ONE OF THOSE EXPENDABLE “OLDER PEOPLE”.
I THINK I’LL FOLLOW YOUR ADVISE AND GO OUTSIDE IN
THE SUN AND READ A GOOD OLD FASHION BOOK!
Good post!
I’m going to make lemonade and get that mare rode.
Lat night at our Lenten soup supper, we learned that all church activities in the diocese will be cancelled for the next 4 weeks. In stead of being fearful, we were encouraged to use this as a time of reflection and meditation. Not bad activities for Lent. Hopefully we will be able to meet again for Easter, but either way we can use this time for growth and spending time in smaller groups with our friends and loved ones.
A Stanford researcher has calculated that the improvements in air quality recorded in China during its manufacturing shutdown may have saved the lives of 4,000 children under 5 and 73,000 adults over 70. So better air is saving more lives than coronavirus is taking. But if past is prologue, this will all be temporary and we’ll soon be back to our old dirty ways, having learned . . . nothing.
Interesting Jill..thanks..
Beautiful post. I feel the same. Time for slowing down and reflection.
A wonderful, thoughtful and encouraging post. Thank you!
I was homebound for 2 months in December and January with a broken wrist. I read, knitted, watched movies, listened to music, interacted with my cats, and was good to myself with rest and calm so I could heal. Solitude and “social distance” can be a wonderful thing, when used wisely and well. It helps us to slow down physically and emotionally. It allows for time to reflect and to be thoughtful. Yesterday, my co-workers had a meeting about what we will do if our office bldg needs to close. We are a financial services firm, with many clients, some of whom are on edge right now as the market shucks and jives. We have a plan that we have executed before for each of us to work remotely, should we need to do that. What touched me at this meeting is that when our COO reiterated that we all need to be mindful of how we physically feel and that we have sick time and vacation time to use if we are running fevers, coughing, etc., several co-workers added that they want to be sure that “Sue is protected.” I am at very high risk, with several chronic conditions. Though some in my office think the reporting is “overblown”, they have all been understanding of what we all must do to keep each other safe.
Lovely message, Susan, thanks..
I think it is a mistake to hoard waterless hand cleaner. If our neighbors don’t have an equal opportunity to be well what good is it for us as it increases our risk when theirs is increased. It’s faulty logic as well as unkind. My parents talked about using the Sears and Robuck Catalog pages for toilet paper or corn cobs. I’m not sure they used corn cobs but maybe. My dad was a big joker.
Hi Jon, I’m starting to calm down and feel like you about this “time out” due to the corona virus. I have sewing and knitting projects to work on, some reading and writing to do. Instead of exercising at the Y, I’ve been walking outdoors. There’s a vernal pool next to a wooded path that we use as a shortcut between our condo complex and a nearby street. A couple of days ago I took this path, and the vernal pool look and sounded like a big pot of bubbling soup. Hundreds of tiny Wood Frogs were gliding and hopping in the pool, churning up the water, the males croaking their love songs to the females. I stood and watched for a while, soaking in the healing sights and sounds of this early spring mating ritual. I’m going to return to the pool to look for the rounded masses of eggs the females lay in the water. These will become tadpoles in short order. I actually forgot that tadpoles become frogs!
Nice message, Janet, thanks..
Loved this post, your message, Jon. A time to reflect, slow down – so many, myself included, just go go go. I like thinking about the books I can read, the knitting I can do, letters and cards I can write, blogs I can read, and the walks I can take. It sounds divine, and maybe I’ll just have to keep doing it after the virus thing has blown itself out! I, too, think Mother Earth knows how to keep herself healthy.