I am on day six of social distancing with a 6 and 8-year-old. And now, I’m officially ready to take it to the next level: social distancing in my apartment. Just kidding…. Sort of. My son is in heaven because the first thing I did was buy a few Nintendo Switch games. My daughter, not easily controlled by electronics, is not as amused.
6 year old: Mommy, can we go for a walk?
Me: No, remember? We’re social distancing? We talked about that?
6 year old: Why?
Me: Because of that virus, remember?
6-year-old: yeeeeeeeeah. Lame.
(23 min’s later)
6 year old: Mommy, can we go for a walk?
Me: No, remember? We’re social distancing? We talked about that?
6 year old: Why?
Me: Because of that virus, remember?
6-year-old: yeeeeeeeeah. Lame.
This goes on for another 84 hours.
I’m sure I am not alone in saying that we didn’t have a hell of a lot of notice in regards to this whole end of the world thing. I’m just not feeling prepared. If only I could have had a couple of week’s notice, maybe… But one day?! GAH! No, so not prepared!
One day I’m waking up to my four different alarms to make sure I’m getting the kids to school on time, the next… there is no school.
For the past week, the kids have only been at their dad’s house or at my apartment. I am happy to report that they are doing splendidly. Yes, they’re complaining. Yes, I’ve had to break up fights. But really, it’s like any other weekend.
Me, on the other hand…. I’m probably like most people out there: mentally exhausted. I’ve been letting the kids sleep in my bed. Yes, it’s totally unnecessary, but I can’t help but think of what would make me safe right now. And climbing up and into the bed of someone who is totally in control… yeah, I’m down for that. BUT…. holy crap, in my household, that is ME. So yes, they are sleeping in my bed. Currently, though… I’m not sleeping. Getting my throat checked by a 6-year-old, yeah, that’s totally happening, but me sleeping… no, not so much.
I am hanging in there. I’m not embarrassed (but sort of embarrassed) to admit that within minutes of learning that my kids would be off for 6 weeks, I purchased $100 worth of video games and spent about $80 on craft kits. Can I afford it?? Well, the real question is whether or not my sanity and mental health could afford NOT to purchase these things…. And the answer is NO, I absolutely could not afford NOT to purchase them. My mental health is fragile, at best.
The world has gone mad. It’s a dream that I’ve not woken from. It’s bad science fiction. But then, I look around and I’ve not woken, surely I would have woken up by now? I mean, I’d have to pee at some point, right? I’m never THIS fully committed to a dream!! My gawd, I’ve woken mid-make-out session with my dream man, just so I could get up to go and pee.
Fuck.
So, this is not a dream. My gawd, this is like a B-movie come to life. I mean, when this movie gets made, and it will get made, they better have better writers than what they have going on right now! I’m not sure I’d pay to watch a movie based on what’s going on right now… Though, I’d probably wait for it to stream on Netflix. No, I want better writers! I want a movie with a strong leader and a great medical team! I want that guy from House, Meredith Grey, Dr. McDreamy and McSteamy all on the medical consulting team. However, I do not want Shanda Rhymes involved, because she needlessly kills some really good characters. (I’ll never forgive her for killing off George O’Malley!) (Oooh, spoiler alert for those who have never watched Greys Anatomy!)
I think that the heart of the story, like all good movies, isn’t going to be obvious. Like, it’s not going to be about the virus. Sure, the virus is going to be a big part…. But the real story is going to be about how the world learns to work together. The real story is going to be about how we’re not separate, but one world.
Suddenly I feel that. I’ve never really felt that before. Before I was the center of my universe. My problems, my life, my woe-is-me. But now, everything I was complaining about last week seems so small. Suddenly, the world feels so small…. And connected. Because we are connected.
I’ve sat on the side of Green Lake, in Seattle, watching the rowers practice. It’s an amazing thing to watch when you think about it. They’re so synchronized with their rowing. But what if every few rowers didn’t want to participate. Holy fuck, I think that the paddles would start crashing into each other and soon they’d not be rowing at all. I’m not a rower, so I don’t know for sure, but that’s how I imagined it would happen if they didn’t all work together.
Right now, the world isn’t in sync. There are those on ventilators and those who refuse to acknowledge there is even a problem. Nobody is working together yet. This is the part of the movie that is scary. This is the part of the movie that will make you mad. This is the part of the movie that will make some people cry. It’s terrifying…. Will everyone unite? Will everyone remember that we’re on the same team?!?
The audience is watching, with tissue in hand.
Suddenly, Mr. Big leaves his New York apartment. There is typewritten message above his head, it reads, “Results-Positive”. Apparently, he is nonsymptomatic. He’s walking down the street. He sees an old lady carrying groceries up her stoop. He stops and helps her. His hands touches hers as he takes one of the grocery bags from hers. She’s grateful and all smiles. He pats her arm before he leaves. As he walks down the stairs of the brownstone stoop, she looks at him and waves. Suddenly the type appears again, this time it says, “ two weeks later Mrs. Smith dies from complications of Covid 19”.
This virus is confusing since there are those who have little or no symptoms and then those who end up on ventilators, in the hospital, or dying. Which will make for an interesting movie, but living through it sucks.
I hate that I don’t know how this movie ends and it will certainly end. But is it going to end with the world coming together soon enough to save so many people? Or, will it end in tragedy?
Social distancing….. I read a great meme that said:
“Don’t change your behavior to avoid being infected. Assume you are infected and change your behavior to avoid transmitting…”
I am NOT a social butterfly. In fact, ironically I spent that past winter socially distancing myself on purpose. Since I’m sort of an expert, let me give you some great ideas of what to do with all of your alone time…
- Webcams
- Audiobooks while you walk /clean
- Online groups
- Start an online book club, using one of these FREE to download books
- Adopt an introvert
- Arrange to zoom call your friends’ kids and read to them, so your friend can have a break!
- Host a wine zoom social
- Host a Netflix watch party
- Tour a museum
- Foster an animal or borrow a friends pet
- Become “penpals” with a person in a retirement home.
- Take an online class that offers forums for students to discuss the assignments
Go for a drive - Arrange to turn a neighborhood free library into a free donation supply box (leave TP or hand sanitizer)
- Journal
- Create an online community page
- Get retro and…use the phone
- Sit outside and listen to the life around you (even if it’s just birds, but especially if it’s just birds…”
- Go for a hike out in nature
- Create an online challenge for your friends… like a photo challenge or a poetry challenge.
- Alphabetize your books
- Organize your closet
And remember, by socially isolating yourself, you’re taking one for the team. We’re all in this together. This universe is a team sport. We all win together or we lose together.
It’s my hope that we’ll win. ❤
Sandy's Short Story Long- This is where I write. 
Leave a comment