Hey Everyone! How y’all doin?
It’s a crazy time. I have started 4 blog posts in the past month and not posted any of them. And now they all seem trivial and unimportant. i don’t know where to start.
I hope everyone is healthy and well. I know that our country is in a time of great anxiety and uncertainty. We are many days into the Coronavirus outbreak, but we are certainly not near its end. My attitude has gone from annoyance to bitterness to resignation to hope to contentment. It’s weird. I often have this range of emotions when my ‘life’ gets disrupted. I realize that I am selfish, but honestly, I think most Americans are…at least to a certain extent. But I’m working on that. So let’s focus on the positive.
Yesterday, I stayed at home; my husband had pulled up some dead fruit trees last weekend so we worked that soil. We pulled up roots and raked the soil and prepared it for planting something new. If felt good. I have only recently become interested in gardening. Up until now, I’ve felt like growing food and providing ornamentation to my yard was frivolous and not worth of my time. But now I see that these activities have great value ….for me, for my family, for the environment.
I’m reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer; I picked it up on a trip trip to Asheville in January, not knowing if I’d enjoy it. The author is a scientist and Native American and she weaves beautiful stories of the science of plant life with how indigenous peoples viewed their role as caretakers of Mother Earth. It seems that industrialization has obliterated that caretaker viewpoint. We think our Mother can provide us with ALL that we WANT. I fear that we are quickly learning that that is not the case.
So I’m trying to mindfully consider my consumption, my activity and my attitude. And in this time of social distancing, it’s not so hard to manage. But I know times will change. Life will get back to ‘normal’. I hope to take some of this peace, community-mindedness and reflectiveness with me.
For now, here are some things that might help you during your social isolation.
Read a book - something that’s been sitting on your shelf for a while that you’ve never had time to read might be an interesting place to start.
Get your hands dirty - if you’re a gardener already, this will be easy, but if you’re not, try it, you might like it.
Dance - put on your favorite jam and just boogy till your heart’s content in the privacy of your own home
Sit outside and listen - to the birdsong, to the wind, to the cars…or lack thereof
Clean out a closet - reducing clutter is known to bring calmness
Play a game - mental stimulation is a positive in times of anxiety
Order take-out, put on fancy clothes, light some candles, put on sexy music and have a date
Give your dog a bath - we did this. It was super helpful for us; the dogs did not love it
Prepare a home-cooked meal. I cook all the time and that is what this website is about; but for many, this is a struggle. Try putting together ingredients you have in your pantry and refrigerator. You might be surprised at how good is it. (And if you need help, shoot me an email!)
Above all else, stay calm. Believe that this is temporary. Trust in your fellow human beings. Be kind and grateful. Give to those less fortunate than yourself. Know that everyone is valuable and everyone can make a difference.