"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Is It Time?

     My wife B hates to talk about her health or her kids. Her health is good, so there's nothing for her to talk about. She gets along with her kids just fine, but she just thinks there ought to be more interesting things for adults to discuss, like what books we've read, what movies we've seen, where we've traveled, what unusual experiences we've had, what kind of spiritual issues are concerning us these days.

     Okay, there's one exception. She does love to talk about her grandchildren (don't we all!). But otherwise she just doesn't want to be one of those old ladies who sits around and brags (or complains) about her kids, or reviews ad nauseam her latest back pain, blood pressure medication, sleep disorder, memory lapse or surgical procedure.

     However, now things have changed very quickly. Her health is still good (well, just a touch of arthritis), but like the rest of us she is worried about the Coronavirus, anxious about getting back out into the world, focusing too much on her aches and pains, and sick and tired of self-isolating at home.

Gnome ... thinking
     So, like the rest of us . . .

     Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit, says the hardest thing about this period of time is that we don't know what lies ahead, and the unknown often produces anxiety. In her post How Do We Prepare for Walking into the Unknown? she offers eight ways to move forward into our new environment -- with less stress and more confidence.

     Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomer.com admits she's going a little batty, just like Carol would predict, especially since she's temporarily stuck living in a rented room in a house. So as she tells us in When You Have to Stay at Home, Go Searching for Gnomes, she decided to check out the various trolls populating her LA neighborhood. The gnomes, she notes, could care less about the pandemic and are content to spend their time sitting in gardens, laughing at all us humans.

     Jennifer of Untold and Begin admits that she's been in a funk, and it's been taking a toll on her creativity. While she watched other bloggers post about baking, crafting, gardening and writing, she was finding it hard to do anything creative. That is, until she found some yarn and a crochet needle. Check out Time to Reignite Our Creativity to see how far she's progressed.

Libby ... chilling
     Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles also feels the turmoil in the air. There's simply too much happening too fast, she says. The planet seems scarier and more chaotic than ever. Yet there's one member of her family who always seems . . . well, chill. That's her terrier Libby. In How to Stay Chill in This Insane World she offers some coping skills that Libby has taught her.

     Consumer journalist Rita Robison has a different concern. April is Rosacea Awareness Month, so in Understanding Rosacea: It's More Than Just a Red Face she discusses the skin condition that plagues some 16 million Americans. (I, myself, have a touch of rosacea; and more than a touch of arthritis.) She covers the causes, the symptoms and the treatments, and she also offers several other websites where you can get more information.

     Finally, Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting says in her corner of the world residents feel that it's time to emerge, slowly and carefully, from weeks of quarantine. In Looking Ahead she notes that the longer days, the spring flowers and the warmth of the sun make it easy to feel optimistic. So folks are now looking forward to simple pleasures like walking the beach, tending the garden, patronizing the ice-cream store . . . and life after quarantine.

     I can't say whether it's time to start venturing out. People will ultimately have to make their own decisions, based on their tolerance for risk and perhaps their tolerance for their spouse, roommate, children, whatever. As for what lies ahead in our new environment -- who knows? But B and I still have some reserves. We can last a while longer. However, last night at dinner the subject of the kids did come up . . . and then we started complaining about our arthritis.

30 comments:

gigi-hawaii said...

The quarantine has been good for Mother Nature due to less pollution.

Olga said...

I understand the urge to get jobs going again, I just really hope that it is done safely and sanely. Somehow, declaring wrestling an essential service as FL governor has done (somehow related to campaign donations) does not strike me as a good sign in the safety or the sanity departments but what do I know?

Rian said...

I think that post about walking into the unknown really hit the core of this situation, Tom. Life is not going to be the same and those that think it's going to go back to what we once called normal... are going to be find it harder to adjust. But since we don't know what lies ahead, it's scary - because we want to plan for it, but don't know how. So taking it one day at a time does seem best for now. Follow the CDC guidelines by staying home and wearing a mask when out. As for opening up the country, it seems a bit too soon to me - but then, what do I know? Each of us must do what we think best.

Cop Car said...

Among people of my (Silent) generation, we all wonder if we will still be around by the time a vaccine is developed, proven, manufactured, and distributed. Other than that, no health issue is worth our breath.

Arkansas Patti said...

I am just delighted each day when I wake up. Yes this is getting to me a bit but not as much as I would have thought. I really only take one day at a time and am grateful for what I do have. So many have much less when you think of the unemployed, the hungry and the scared.
I just hope they don't try to go back to the old normal too quickly and undo it all.

Laurie Stone said...

Strangely, I'm fine with the quarantine. Staying home and reading and writing is right up my alley. I feel for extroverts who need that social fix. ZOOM is better than nothing, but not quite the same.

David @iretiredyoung said...

I'm looking forward to the time when we can have a conversation that isn't all about Coronavirus related topics. The other week, we had a Zoom call with some friends and I had deliberately written out a list of non virus topics...trouble was, the other call participants still had their Coronavirus blinkers (maybe you say "blinders"?) on.

Rebecca Olkowski said...

I loved this collection of posts, Tom. So thoughtful. It's starting to get to many of us. But this too, shall pass.

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Little did I know when I came to check out yours that I'd hit the jackpot and find so many other in this post to read.

Wisewebwoman said...

B and I would get along very well as I have an allergy to small talk and kid bragging of all kinds.

With one exception: I have one friend who is my kvetching friend and she mine. We go over all the ailments and the meds and then, honestly, we start to laugh like no tomorrow. It does us a power of good. No one else sees this side of us. And we only engage in this way about once every 2 weeks. I guess having the same sense of humour helps a lot. Dark.

I must check out those blogs, thanks Tom.

XO
WWW

JulieO said...

The world has changed forever and the shifting sands are pretty difficult. Thanks for all this good stuff, Tom.

Harold said...

The stay at home orders really have not affected/effected us all that much. We are both stay at home types that don't travel or go out all that often. If I had a treadmill in the garage it probably wouldn't bother me at all. I hate running in the cold or high winds, but otherwise haven't missed the gym all that much. We get out about twice a week - to Sam's Club and do Wal Mart curbside pickup. Otherwise we stay up on our little hill out in the rural area where we live. Life goes on and it will never be the same.

Anonymous said...

are you boomers okay with the fact that teenagers and young people are having their lives destroyed, and many driven to suicide, just so you boomers can enjoy an extra couple of years of life? How selfish are you boomers? What kind of evil person wants to destroy the youth? Are you boomers not afraid of ending up in retirement homes, staffed by all the young people who you abused and destroyed?

Kay said...

Uh oh... That spam above is making the rounds again.

Whenever my friends get together, we do spend some time talking about health issues because it’s of interest to all of us. We don’t brag about our kids or grandkids though (too much). That would be quite un-Asian, I think. I’m so grateful for technology that we can all reach out to friends, both local and out in cyberspace.

ain't for city gals said...

Good post. I guess I am kind of in a funk but good gosh am so lucky! If I really have to admit missing something it is the casinos being closed. Sounds selfish but my mom (soon to be 90) and my sisters always got together to play Bingo once a week. My mom loves Bingo and it is a fun day for all of us. The thing is do we go when they lift the closings....probably not for a while.

Terra said...

Walking into the unknown kind of sums up our situation. It is easier to be brave for a day than for six weeks or who knows how long. Happily, in addition to many good things in my life, I put my trust in my heavenly father, who is always faithful.

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