It’s Saturday morning, and we began social distancing here in Colorado three weeks ago. I’m sitting in my home studio, a little room where I work and practice. I can hear the noises of my 6-year-old and husband two floors away. They’re loud and happy sounds. Jumping and giggles blended with “Old Town Road” and my son’s attempt at the harmonica.
I’m grateful for today.
Today, my partner—who works in healthcare—has a day at home. He’s not in the hospital, recycling his used mask and navigating the chaos and confusion of COVID-19. My only child is enjoying another playmate aside from his mom. I have some space to write, and honestly, to be silent while I stare out the window. Afterward, my family will go on a walk outside. We’ll move our bodies, breathe in fresh air (through a cloth mask), and appreciate the natural world. And, today, we’re all healthy.
I’m feeling a lot of emotions.
For a lot of us, time has slowed down. Instead of planning out the week, month, and year, we’re just taking things day by day. From sunrise to sunset, we live our new normal and the emotions that accompany it. Grief, anxiety, anger, sadness, fear…and hopefully gratitude, happiness, and delight. Sometimes all in the span of an hour.
Life is challenging, in a way we’ve never experienced before. How do we adapt?
