My writing critique group has not been meeting for several weeks. I reached out to two members to see how they were managing isolation. One answered, “I was built for this.” The other said, “Fortunately, for the last 41 years, Bobbi and I have always preferred being alone together. I doubt it will change as the summer passes. I tinker with books; Bobbi bakes and reads. We exercise. We still have toilet paper.”

Surprisingly, I too like staying home. Today, I even took a nap. I also notice more people out walking and sitting on their patios reading or visiting with their spouses. When riding my bike, I am joined by others doing the same thing. We share a little wave or, “Hi.” while staying six feet apart. People seem to be connected at a deeper level than we were before this virus.

Being confined to the house, I have baked bread, painted rocks to hide along sidewalks, completed a puzzle, practiced the piano, and drew pictures of hats, shoes, and elephants. There is no pressure in meeting the Sentinel deadline because time is plentiful. With no appointments, stress is low. My husband is usually home, and we walk around the golf course every evening. It is quite refreshing.

The best thing; I have no need to fix my hair. It is heavenly—I do not like spending 30 minutes drying, curling, and styling just to have the familiar unkempt dry mop look. During this self-quarantine where we have no place to go and nobody to see, I plop on a baseball cap and I’m ready for the whole day in two minutes or less. Love it! There are no open salons so roots are gray and nails are not manicured. My credit card feels neglected.

Because we don’t have company, the house is less tidy, and I feel no pressure other than discipline to not open the refrigerator door. I fail miserably—today, I had two dishes of my favorite, vanilla ice cream. What can be so bad about that?

There is also time to stay connected online or feel the love when the phone rings. I have time, anytime, to sit down, put my feet up, and visit with friends and family I haven’t spoken with for a very long time.

It feels a little like living on the farm except then, I could go to church, visit neighbors, and hug friends in the grocery store. I miss all those things, but I’m helping our world by self-quarantining. And, what can be so bad about that?

Closing with two quotes. One is by Thomas Paine in 1776: “These are the times that try men’s souls.” The second is from Deepak Chopra: “There is just no getting around that turning bad things into good things is up to you.”

What can be so bad about that?

Until the next time: Live while you live

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