Our new normal
I'm sure I speak for many when I say the range of emotions is like a roller coaster these days. I have several posts partially written however they all seem quite trivial given the current situation that is our new reality. I have found myself vacillating between this could not be happening to, no, it is definitely happeneing and multiple scientists and epidemiologists have predicted for years that a pandemic was not a matter of "if" but "when". It's hard to imagine that other generations faced these type of epidemics frequently before vaccines were invented. I saw first hand as a school nurse how rapidly illnesses like the flu or a stomach bug can spread throughout a classroom. I have been watching documentaries and reading a lot about previous pandemics in the history of our nation. It does bring to light how much medicine has evolved and also how we have so many other ways to fight illnesses that previously were not known, specifically handwashing. Our lives right now have become simpler in many ways yet definitely more complex in others. We are off the fast track of activities, sports, social obligations, travel, shopping, events, or anything else invovlving contact with anyone outside of your immediate cirlce.
Social distancing has really highlighted all the little things we may have taken for granted on a daily basis, like going out on a Friday night with friends for some live music and yummy beer. I miss getting up daily for work with a real purpose and destination. The freedom of going where you wanted without any further thought other than where you were going is a thing of the past. I will say that you can not appreciate the light without the darkness. We will be back to that eventually and hopefully with a new appreciation for just how precious and beautiful it all is. In the mean time we are surviving a new normal with limited toilet paper, frequent trips to the liquor store and a lot of face time with friends and family.
Parents have become teachers. It has highlighted just how much teachers do on a daily basis and how much I am lacking as a teacher in the academic sense. I am doing my best, and trying to keep expectations low. I try to provide a variety of activities daily to challenge my children and keep their brains active. I am so thankful for technology and our ability to keep in contact with classrooms and friends and family. There are so many online resources for educating our children and I am thankful for that. We incorporate art, writing, cooking and home made science experiments into our days. Physcial movement has become a major part of our daily routine. Previously my physical activity was based in the gym with weights and equipment. We now include the children and dogs into our daily dose of fresh air. I use the alltrails app to find a new place to explore every day. I love being outside and the children need it as much as the adults. On rainy days or when weather does not permit we take it to the living room with yoga lessons on you tube, which I must admit I truly enjoy. Some days are better than others. My technological incompetence has presented some challenges but I also have learned quite a bit. Quarantined life has its ups and downs and occasionally I have to drive away alone in the car, take a deep breath and hit the reset button. Maybe that resent button is loud music or a walk in the woods but self preservation is key, and whatever that is we must do it, as long as it maintains a distance of 6 feet.
There are moments when I am relieved that everone in my family is healthy and not suffering from this disease. These moments are followed by feelings of guilt that so many others do not share that same situation. I worry for the families with children who are immunocompromised, the elderly population (grandparents of my children) who are the very high risk group for this disease. I also think about first responders daily who are on the front lines of this pandemic battling the harsh realitites of what this illness brings. Having been an essential employee for so many years I have tremendous guilt that I am not on the front lines of this along with them. I am so grateful to police, fire fighters, nurses, doctors and EMS workers who are going in head first. This time in history impacts not only medical, and emotional aspects of life but also the economic areas as well.
There are so many small businesses who will struggle to survive this ecomnomic crisis. We get take out and shop local to give our economic support to families who put their heart and soul into their local businesses. I often think of the children who's parents have lost their jobs and perhaps earn their income at these local businesses. There are children who's families are food insecure or perhaps these children are in an abusive home and their only relief was school. We have so many new challenges yet we must take the time to appreciate the simplicity of things. Our new reality is filled with scary news, death statistics and new limitations daily. I know that like the seasons and like life itself this situation will change. The only thing that is permanent is change.
As we adapt and learn from this experience I want to focus on the positive things my eyes have been opened to. This has given me time with my husband and children that I never would have had. We are together all day every day, which can sometimes cause tremendous stress, but it also has given us moments that I will forever cherish. We have had dinner together as a family every night. We have had conversations and communicated openly about topics that may not have been brought up otherwise. We discuss health, politics, financial concerns and humanitarian concerns. We face time with family and friends and try to stay connected in our daily lives, although nothing can replace the feeling of a warm hug from someone important in your life.
I have seen generosity and human kindness prevail. Individuals with sewing machines are making masks for healthcare workers as barrier for protection. My school allowed us to donate all our sanitizing supplies and the few masks we did have to medical workers. Even large corporations have adjusted manufacturing to fit the needs of the medical community right now. Individuals are reaching out to elderly populations to make deliveries of food and medications that they may not be able to get to. Children are making cards for individuals in the hospital, and families are delivering meals to medical staff who are working through this crisis. Online companies have opened up their web sites for free to facilitate learning at home. Neighborhoods are standing in the streets with signs are welcoming home individuals who were hospitalized. Parents are setting up zoom meetings and reading to classroom children. This week we have a birthday party parade for a child in my son's first grade glass and we will all decorate our cars with signs wishing him a happy bithday as we parade in our vehicles down his street. There is so much good in the world and I want to highlight that for my children right now. I believe love and strength grow in difficult times. We learn when things are hard, when we are forced to dig deep and and give to something greater than ourselves. We can, and we will get through this, one day at a time.
Social distancing has really highlighted all the little things we may have taken for granted on a daily basis, like going out on a Friday night with friends for some live music and yummy beer. I miss getting up daily for work with a real purpose and destination. The freedom of going where you wanted without any further thought other than where you were going is a thing of the past. I will say that you can not appreciate the light without the darkness. We will be back to that eventually and hopefully with a new appreciation for just how precious and beautiful it all is. In the mean time we are surviving a new normal with limited toilet paper, frequent trips to the liquor store and a lot of face time with friends and family.
Parents have become teachers. It has highlighted just how much teachers do on a daily basis and how much I am lacking as a teacher in the academic sense. I am doing my best, and trying to keep expectations low. I try to provide a variety of activities daily to challenge my children and keep their brains active. I am so thankful for technology and our ability to keep in contact with classrooms and friends and family. There are so many online resources for educating our children and I am thankful for that. We incorporate art, writing, cooking and home made science experiments into our days. Physcial movement has become a major part of our daily routine. Previously my physical activity was based in the gym with weights and equipment. We now include the children and dogs into our daily dose of fresh air. I use the alltrails app to find a new place to explore every day. I love being outside and the children need it as much as the adults. On rainy days or when weather does not permit we take it to the living room with yoga lessons on you tube, which I must admit I truly enjoy. Some days are better than others. My technological incompetence has presented some challenges but I also have learned quite a bit. Quarantined life has its ups and downs and occasionally I have to drive away alone in the car, take a deep breath and hit the reset button. Maybe that resent button is loud music or a walk in the woods but self preservation is key, and whatever that is we must do it, as long as it maintains a distance of 6 feet.
There are moments when I am relieved that everone in my family is healthy and not suffering from this disease. These moments are followed by feelings of guilt that so many others do not share that same situation. I worry for the families with children who are immunocompromised, the elderly population (grandparents of my children) who are the very high risk group for this disease. I also think about first responders daily who are on the front lines of this pandemic battling the harsh realitites of what this illness brings. Having been an essential employee for so many years I have tremendous guilt that I am not on the front lines of this along with them. I am so grateful to police, fire fighters, nurses, doctors and EMS workers who are going in head first. This time in history impacts not only medical, and emotional aspects of life but also the economic areas as well.
There are so many small businesses who will struggle to survive this ecomnomic crisis. We get take out and shop local to give our economic support to families who put their heart and soul into their local businesses. I often think of the children who's parents have lost their jobs and perhaps earn their income at these local businesses. There are children who's families are food insecure or perhaps these children are in an abusive home and their only relief was school. We have so many new challenges yet we must take the time to appreciate the simplicity of things. Our new reality is filled with scary news, death statistics and new limitations daily. I know that like the seasons and like life itself this situation will change. The only thing that is permanent is change.
As we adapt and learn from this experience I want to focus on the positive things my eyes have been opened to. This has given me time with my husband and children that I never would have had. We are together all day every day, which can sometimes cause tremendous stress, but it also has given us moments that I will forever cherish. We have had dinner together as a family every night. We have had conversations and communicated openly about topics that may not have been brought up otherwise. We discuss health, politics, financial concerns and humanitarian concerns. We face time with family and friends and try to stay connected in our daily lives, although nothing can replace the feeling of a warm hug from someone important in your life.
I have seen generosity and human kindness prevail. Individuals with sewing machines are making masks for healthcare workers as barrier for protection. My school allowed us to donate all our sanitizing supplies and the few masks we did have to medical workers. Even large corporations have adjusted manufacturing to fit the needs of the medical community right now. Individuals are reaching out to elderly populations to make deliveries of food and medications that they may not be able to get to. Children are making cards for individuals in the hospital, and families are delivering meals to medical staff who are working through this crisis. Online companies have opened up their web sites for free to facilitate learning at home. Neighborhoods are standing in the streets with signs are welcoming home individuals who were hospitalized. Parents are setting up zoom meetings and reading to classroom children. This week we have a birthday party parade for a child in my son's first grade glass and we will all decorate our cars with signs wishing him a happy bithday as we parade in our vehicles down his street. There is so much good in the world and I want to highlight that for my children right now. I believe love and strength grow in difficult times. We learn when things are hard, when we are forced to dig deep and and give to something greater than ourselves. We can, and we will get through this, one day at a time.
This is a crazy time in our history. I appreciate how you ended your reflection with the good that is coming out of this unpredictable time.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated reading your reflection. As Noel shared, this is a crazy time in our history. I especially loved these lines: "We learn when things are hard, when we are forced to dig deep and and give to something greater than ourselves. We can, and we will get through this, one day at a time."
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