| Dear friends, I’m grateful that you’ve opened this newsletter. I realize it may be coming into homes that span a wide range of emotions due to the Coronavirus and quarantine. For those of us who, to this point, have been blessed with good health and continued income, the worst we’ve dealt with is not being able to move about as we normally would. Compared with how devastating a time it’s been for many due to sickness, death of loved ones, job & income loss, and stress, not being able “go somewhere” doesn’t merit a complaint. And for all those still out there who are working to keep the rest of us healthy, safe, fed, still getting our mail & packages–there are no words to thank you enough … but we can begin with a few words of thanks whenever we see you. I’m sure we’ve all felt some emotional stress due to the uncertainty of not knowing how long this will last. But remember … better days are ahead; we will get to the other side of the Coronavirus. I’m not someone who counts patience as my best virtue, so the wait isn’t easy. But I’ve found that this experience is teaching me to be more patient, largely because anything I may feel impatient about pales in comparison to the hardships so many are facing. So I’ve discovered greater patience.  (Photo Credit: by Noble Mitchell on Unsplash) Over the past four weeks I’ve made some other discoveries. Thought I’d share a few: My 93-year-old mom loves to FaceTime! My mom lives in Scottsdale, AZ, near my sister. She turns on her iPad, taps on the videocamera icon, taps the name of one of us kids or grandkids, and there we are … face to face. A few things have been tapped by accident–like “flip” and “mute”–and sometimes we just see her forehead, but mostly we see one another and feel connected in one of the few ways we can right now. I’m not as fit as I thought I was. Most afternoons I set out on a walk around our neighborhood. I’ll call down to my husband, Rick (working at a table in our basement) and say, “I’m going for my walk around the block,” only half of which is relaxing. The other half is uphill and unforgiving on legs and lungs short on stamina. I consider myself fairly fit, but still get a somewhat winded on the uphill side. I’m working on it. My dog, Enzo, has a 1-gallon bladder. I like taking Enzo on my walks. It gives me an excuse to stop along the uphill side for a few seconds–he does his business and I catch my breath. But, of course, by the time we’ve gotten to the uphill side, I’ve already had to stop at least a dozen times for him to “go.” Where does it all come from? It’s such a mystery to me. And speaking of dogs: I think one of our other dogs, Toby, is fitter than I am. That dog, despite his short, stubby legs, would run after a tennis ball in our backyard from morning til night if we had the time and energy to toss it all day. And he’s quite athletic. Over-the-shoulder catch — no problem. Leaping grab — “Come on, mom, challenge me!” Yes, he’s a bit of a show-off, too. I Love New York! Actually, that I love NY isn’t a discovery. What I’ve discovered is how much I miss it. Though I’ve lived in PA since age 6, I was born in Brooklyn. My daughter now lives and works in NYC, and I had gotten used to taking the train in for a few days every couple of months. I love the energy of the city, cultural diversity, bookstores (the Strand!), stationery shops, coffee shops. Can’t wait to get back! I can make a pretty respectable Americano with my moka pot. If you’re not familiar with the moka pot — you use it to brew espresso. 1/3 cup of espresso, 2/3 cup of boiling water, a little creamer, pack of stevia, and I’m set. But don’t you worry, Starbucks … I’ll be back when you reopen. 🙂 I love washing my hands. Never thought such a simple act would make me feel like I’m contributing to society. But I’m finding myself so purposeful about it now — 20 seconds, sing the ABC’s. Who knew it could be so much fun? I’m a bit of a cooking control freak. Early on in the quarantine I said to Rick: How about we take turns cooking dinner? Good guy that he is, he readily agreed. But every time he offers to make something — spaghetti, meat loaf, tacos — I feel something tighten inside. Then I’ll say, “Why don’t we get take-out,” or I’ll offer to cook instead. I’m not proud of any of this. I have to let go. I’m trying. Sorry honey! (PS–Rick’s making spaghetti tonight … really.) Part of me is going to miss this slower & simpler life once things get back to normal … and all of me realizes how blessed I am to be able to say that. Parents with kids at home 24/7 (especially those who are homeschooling), all those on the front lines battling the Coronavirus, everyone still out there working to keep shelves stocked, check-out lines moving, and grocery & takeout orders filled … I know your lives are neither slower or simpler right now. You’re probably busier than you’ve ever been, or at least in a very long time. You all have my utmost respect and gratitude. If you’re financially able, let’s continue to support the independent professionals who provide us with services: hair stylists, dog groomers, cleaning services, various kinds of lesson instructors, etc. I’ll never be able to name them all. If we support them now, they’ll be able to reopen later. Lots of love and prayers to each of you. Hang in there … we’re going to get through this!!! Tess  (Photo Credit: by Anton Unsplash)  |
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Crafting a writing life … one word at a time.