The Sweetness of Quarantine

I want to remember:

How scary the unknot felt. How isolating. How disturbing. Yet how comforting it was not know that we wee all in it yoghurt. The power of numbers.The comfort of sharing and unifying and sharing experiences. 

opportunity. podcasts shifted. Positive and upward motion. sharing of information.

The people that lost their lives and their. Our leaders. Our scientists. The front liners. 

Toilet paper shortage. All the terms we never knew. watching the hustle and bustle dwindle. Watching the news for updates. Looking for God in it all.

The unrushed mornings.

My husband telling me goodbye each morning and how joked about his morning commute to the next room for his workday and then hearing his voice on conference calls all day long.

The continual conversation between me and my daughter throughout the day. Being able to share throughout the day instead of trying to have conversations on the ay home from school when she was tired after 8 hours of being away from home and in need of quiet.

My quarantine routine. My at home barre classes. My daily morning walk. Used for podcast listening.

Days void of traffic, stores, errands.

Habits and hobbies formed and revisited.

My naps. 

The afternoon vibe of the house. Work day winding down and school day over. Zooms and calls are slowed.  The quieting of the house from about 1:30 - 3:30 PM. Afternoon coffee in a ceramic mug instead of a travel mug as I dashed out the door to get in the carpool lane at school. 

Dinner. Still not a favorite time of day but not as rushed. 

Zoom dance classes in my living room three evenings per week and on Saturday mornings  where I can watch my daughter dance and hear her teachers and dance friends chatter and encourage each other.

Evening walks with my husband. 

Pride at how both of my adult children handled the pandemic and how despite not seeing them we remind in touch and I felt connected to them.

The friendships strengthened throughout the crisis.

Dessert every night.

Being able to attend church with my home parish and my parents who live out of state every Sunday and then FaceTiming with them after the service.

Our adaptability. Both my family and our country.

Our ability to cope despite chaos. Both my family and our country.

What a bittersweet time this was.