Flowers and friends
“What’s the point?”
I was just wrapping up my last Zoom virtual session of the day when the text came through. I hadn’t really looked at it until I hit the End Meeting button. When I did, it read: “I am leaving something on your front porch.”
In this time of self isolation, obviously, interaction with a real person is golden. I raced to the door…had I missed her? Was I too late?
Fortunately, she was just unloading. Whew! That’s when she came around from the back of the car with a most gorgeous flowering plant. And it was for me! How thoughtful!
As we both made our way to the front porch positioning ourselves the mandatory six feet away per CDC guidelines, we enjoyed the gorgeous afternoon sun while we caught up–in person! A delicious treat these pandemic ridden days.
We chatted of course about the current situation that we as world have found ourselves in and then segued into how it has been affecting us. For her, it had been a spiritual transformation of late. She realized that the things she had been focusing on, just a month prior, were now seen as nothing but shallow and frivolous when viewing them in the light of our new way of life. It was a true revelation to her, and one she was proud to share. She’d seen the light so to speak.
Hamster wheel to nowhere
That’s then I made the statement, “We as a world have been on a hamster wheel to nowhere. And it stopped.”
She couldn’t agree more responding that was exactly how she has felt. “I was on that wheel…and for what?” Going back wasn’t an option. She’d changed.
Basically, we as a world had been spending our time, energy and resources running to get bigger and better personally, professionally, and financially…but for what?
Though these days have truly been horrific for some, others meanwhile are rediscovering their family, their friends, their neighbors, and yes, even their pets!
As difficult as this historic season has been, deep down, I quietly believe we will miss a bit of this forced lifestyle of seclusion when it’s gone. Not the death or the fear, or the empty store shelves, nor the masks and the gloves, but the unification of a planet with one common goal. Defeating an unseen enemy. All on the same page. If anything, for one short period of time. Something my generation, and those behind me, have not truly experienced (Thought some might argue 9/11 might fit the bill.) The new memories we’re building of re-learning how to shop, cook, and even clean are noteworthy! Time spent together taking walks, sitting around the table or just getting to know each other in new ways, for some, will be priceless.
Togetherness
We will talk about these days until we die. And those of us who live to tell will all nod our heads and roll our eyes together when the subject comes up. Just think about it, this has provided us all at least one thing we have in common, one topic we can talk about together and remember. Something that brings us…together. And I can’t think of anything more powerful, or positive right now, than that.
Just my thoughts.
— Stephanie
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