Dear friends,
I’m very sorry for failing to send out a newsletter for a couple of months. Considering everything that’s going on in the world right now due to COVID-19, I very much wanted to reach out with a few thoughts.
First, I hope and pray that each of you and your families are staying well, both physically and emotionally. It’s a very difficult time for a whole host of reasons. We will get through this. Doing it together will make it an experience we can all learn and grow from.
If you or a member of your family has fallen ill, please know that so many thoughts and prayers are with you. I’m praying for everyone on this email list. We can all use it — sick or not.
I’d also like to share a few ideas to help get through the next few weeks or months or who-knows-how-long. This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list, and, since my husband and I are empty-nesters, I won’t venture into “how to keep your kids busy” territory. These just fall into a general “try this” category:
* Be kind.
* Check in on your neighbors, especially elderly neighbors.
* Call someone who’s in their home and going through most of this on their own.
* Write letters.
* It’s a very difficult time financially for many people. Most of us have had to cancel various appointments: pet grooming, haircuts, instrumental, various types of classes, cleaning service, etc. Only if you are financially able to do so — consider still sending a check or Venmo payment to whoever provides the service you had to cancel. Perhaps you can’t do it each month you have to stay put, but any amount will be a help to a small business owner who still has to pay rent and buy groceries.
* Keep structure in your day. My husband and I are both now working from home. We’re getting up at the same time as pre-Coronavirus, making the bed, getting showered & dressed, and heading off to our respective parts of the house to start working when we normally would (our dogs–a bit confused by dad’s being here all the time–traverse the house throughout the day). Equally important to stop working around the same time as before too. Working from home means there’s always the temptation to go back and do more after dinner. Avoid that if you can. It will still be there in the morning.
* Keep doing the things that keep you focused and grounded. Can’t tell you how thankful I am to have writing assignments and deadlines for my MFA classes right now. Staying accountable for our work is important. It also helps to give purpose to each day.
* By all means, stay informed about what’s going on locally, nationally, and globally regarding Coronavirus. But don’t make it the only topic for discussion, listening, or watching. It all gets to be too much after a while. And besides, there still are good things going on out there. Watch, listen, and enjoy!
* There are so many great books to read, new and old. What a great time to get through the nightstand pile. For my MFA classes, I’ve just finished reading: A Civil Action, by Jonathan Harr; Consider the Lobster, by David Foster Wallace; and Autobiography of a Face, by Lucy Grealy. All very different; all terrific!
* And for guaranteed laughs, try watching “Schitt’s Creek” on Netflix and/or “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on HBO Go. We can all use a good dose of laughing-out-loud these days!
* Almost forgot … keep washing those hands!
Stay healthy, strong, and loving, everyone! We’ll get through this together. Keeping you close in thought and prayer!
Tess
(Photo credit: Joshua Coleman on Unsplash)