I’ve had a few conversations with people in recent weeks in which we quietly admit to each other that we are actually feeling much better and happier in the new normal of staying at home, meeting by video, and long hours of solitude. In Facebook groups, I’ve noticed that each time someone posts this sentiment, […]
Home Alone Together, Week Nine: It’s Okay to Smile
Wow, it’s been over two months. It’s so very hard to believe. There are stirrings outside my door of reawakening. My state and county and workplace are all making plans for thoughtful, careful reopening. It is a little scary, I must admit. My cocoon these past months has been a protective bubble of rejuvenating solitude. […]
Home Alone Together, Week Eight: 6 Little Things That Brought Me Cheer
I started this series of blog posts by sharing things that I had seen that brought me cheer during a week of difficulty and panic. The difficulty in my little corner of the world (which is now my apartment since I don’t go anywhere) is less looming, though not completely gone. I’ve adjusted and adapted […]
Home Alone Together, Week Seven: Celebrating Achievements and Finding Comfort
This has been a quieter week than the previous ones. But still, there were highlights of happiness and comfort. I was not one of those people encouraging everyone to use this time wisely and take action on long buried dreams. Or even to clean out that messy closet or drawer or room (which I do […]
Home Alone Together, Week Six: On Adaptation and Hope
I think the word for this week is adaptation. There comes a point when things change in a situation where you realize you’re in the thick of it and it’s time to just hold on for the ride. You’ve battened all the hatches, stocked up your disaster kit, turned off the electricity, and pulled out […]
Home Alone Together, Week Five: So Many Opportunities for Creativity
I’ve just placed a pan of granola in the oven. I’d discovered a stale box of Grape-Nuts in the pantry and for some reason, have been trying to be super frugal and not waste any food. Getting more groceries is a tad challenging, as I imagine many others know too well. And flour requires taking […]
Home Alone Together, Week Four: Spread Love Not Fear
A person I know has started sending out a group text that often includes scary news stories or generally bad ones. The latest closures, or newest announcement about staying at home, or the fact that people aren’t staying at home (which wasn’t news to me). The people in this group are all adults, many with […]
Home Alone Together, Week Three: On Resilience and Finding Hope
This has been an up and down week. Probably like so many others, I’ve felt by turns prepared, relieved, depressed, sad, horrified, frightened, uplifted, and hopeful. And then I cycle through all those feelings again. And again. I won’t dwell on the depressing, frightening, and sad aspects of our current reality here. Anyone can find […]