This is week three or four of "social distancing" or "self-quarantine" from the Coronavirus. Time has lost some of its meaning when days turn into weeks with little change in routine. Today is Friday, I believe. This morning I got my second haircut from my new barber (Barbara). A couple months ago who would've thought something half a world away would change our lives so completely? From how we shop to where we eat to even getting a haircut? Did you ever worry before 2020 where your next roll of toilet paper was going to come from? I'm reminded of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine asks her neighbor in the next stall whether she can "spare a square." Light humor then. We can all relate now.
Certainly COVID-19 has changed our lives completely -- turned them upside down. Schools closed, graduations and weddings cancelled, funerals limited to only close family members. Businesses closed, people out of work, rainy-day savings accounts depleted. Stay at home or limit your trips to authorized stores for essential items. Get what you need and then get home. And if you're lucky enough to have the disinfectants that kill COVID-19, you can spray or wipe down all those groceries.
Families are finding out what "togetherness" really means, and whether they can tolerate it. In some cases, there are even good things that can come out of a bad situation. For instance, my daughter Kristina gave birth to her daughter, Emersyn Rea, on Feb. 29. Shortly after, schools were closed, so Emersyn's big sister and two big brothers have a golden opportunity to build a lifelong bond with their little sister. I've read that pet adoptions are also way up with some shelters even being empty for the first time ever.
And what better time to work on those projects you've been putting off? Our lawn is mowed and fertilized, flowers planted and mulch laid down. It looks better but there are more projects planned. Our other sanity-saving routines are going for walks or driving down Hwy. 76, which is eerily empty of traffic. For this time of year, Branson would normally be ramping up for the tourist season and we would be using the backroads to avoid the traffic crush. Not necessary now. Parking lots and shopping centers are deserted.
When this is all over, and our lives regain some manner of normalcy, what will that be like? Going into a restaurant to eat will be like a new experience. (Maybe finding a restaurant we patronized before all of this will be a challenge?) Socializing with friends we haven't seen for weeks, or months. Standing next to someone in Walmart without worrying about catching or spreading anything.
What will the new normal look like?
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