Sarah's CircleFriends are blessings that sustain our journeys. |
Joy comes with the sunshine and being able to move outside and walk. It is here in other ways, but that's the easiest.
There was joy in the first Zoom meeting and knowing I could connect with others and see them. The first time I could decipher what it said on the overpass as “Tulsa Strong” with a heart in front brought joy. I was also joyful to find an outdoor xylophone and I will remember to take something to play it when I walk again. I played it today. I have found joy in talking with people who are home by telephone. I know I can call and they are available. That makes it easier for me to pick up the phone and connect. Connections are different and less rushed. Some things about this time will definitely be missed. --Carolyn
0 Comments
iceI've always enjoyed cooking when I have the time for it. Lately I've had more time and energy to cook recipes that seemed too complicated before, but that comfort the soul, like fresh bread, and that brings me joy.
I still have access to the regional park near our home, where I can walk by myself or with our dog and hear the birds singing and watch the squirrels playing in the limbs overhead. Just being on a wooded trail with only the sounds of nature around me brings me joy. When our country gets "back to business" I wonder how much I'll miss these simple sources of joy. I'm hoping the "new normal" will be different from the "old normal." --Janice What surprises me about sheltering in place? My first response is “nothing” because I’m an introvert and like being in my home. I don’t mind being alone at all. I want meaningful contact with my family and close friends, but I don’t crave big gatherings or social chitchat. So that part is pretty ok. Except that I find myself missing face to face conversations and hugs. I even (sort of) miss my least favorite part of the church service, the passing of the peace. And the grandkids. Texting with my 14-year-old granddaughter is not the same as taking her to coffee and letting her pour out her frustrations with her mother and little sister. Zooming with my 8-year-old grandson is not the same as playing board games by the hour, laughing at the hilarious things he says, and getting hugs and “I love you” from him. Watching a video of my 1-year-old granddaughter taking her first steps is not the same as being in the room to get excited and laugh with her, and to grab her for a squeeze when she reaches me. I miss all the contact more than I would have imagined.
Something else that has surprised me is a sense of being unneeded, sidelined through this crisis. There are good reasons to stay home, the chief being that I have a 75-year-old husband with asthma. But I hate feeling so useless. Even worse, the message seems to be that the best thing I can do for everyone is to stay out of the way so that I don’t become a problem. For almost 50 years I have deliberately chosen work that I thought made a difference for others, and I feel strongly that the purpose of life is to make a contribution. But now I can’t do anything of any significance and it isn’t sitting well with me. I’m surprised by how strong this sense of uselessness is and how much it bothers me. On a political level, I’m surprised, though I probably shouldn’t be, by the fact that Trump supporters do not think he has done anything wrong, even now when he has doubtless caused thousands of deaths. And the fact that after a brief initial impulse toward bipartisanship, Congress is back to bickering while people in desperate straits wait for assistance. --Terese
|
Archives
January 2022
To subscribe and receive notification of new posts, download a feed reader:
RSS Feed Reader then click the RSS Feed button above. |