Healing © lynette sheppard
I’m serious. We can use this time to be more connected, not less. I’ve been overwhelmed by the caring and responsiveness of menopause goddesses and friends everywhere.
Theresa-Venus and I have been going for walks every afternoon, keeping at least 6 feet between us. Exercise is a wonderful antidote for anxiety. Bring on those endorphins.
Candy-Venus and I talk by phone every few days – and text just about every day. She is writing about what she refers to as the Great Quarantine Adventure with equal parts humor and heart.
Karen-Venus keeps us in stitches with the memes she finds. She’s helping others via phone while on lock-down in New York City.
Facetime, Zoom, and our Facebook Portal device allow us to see loved ones and friends when we can’t (read musn’t) be in the same room physically.
Most of you know that I was on a self-described sabbatical last year. Turns out it was good practice for the current situation. Most of us will be on enforced sabbatical now. I plan to use this opportunity to learn and do all those things I’d been wishing I had time to explore.
Paint, learn a language, cook, dance, play a musical instrument. I never did get the hang of my ukulele, but I have no excuse for not trying now. And it might be time to fire up that bread maker that I’ve never used.
YouTube has gazillions of free videos showing how to do/learn just about anything. We can balance doing with meditation and contemplation. We may just learn something about ourselves individually and collectively.
As a registered nurse, I can say with certainty that it’s up to us now. We need to protect ourselves and each other by practicing social distance and self-isolating as a preventative measure. Keeping occupied (and limited our news consumption) will boost our immune systems. Worry won’t help. Staying at home will.
And here’s a shout out to all the healthcare workers, stevedores, truckers, grocery clerks and others who are on the front lines, working for us all. You are the true heroes and heroines.
If you have ideas for our “new normal”, post them here. Let’s stay connected. And we will get through this – together!