A fit of grim humor came over me this week I searched for plague jokes. Sometimes laughter is the only medicine that works. But they wore thin.
Beloved and I were already keeping in solitude a week ago, you may recall. After a few days of ambivalence and confusion about that we concluded we were doing the right thing. Our primary motivation isn’t fear of contagion—what will happen will happen—but a sense of civic responsibility. As people of a certain age, we know that if we get the plague, er, virus, we’ll be in the group that needs hospitalization and add to the health systems burden. Far better we should avoid it! Our job as I finally understood it is to stay out of everone’s way and keep ourselves as well as possible. So we are. We got supplies two weeks ago and we’re more or less good for the duration, although as long as our supermarket will deliver fresh milk, eggs, and bananas I’ll take advantage of it.
So what are the blessings? #1 More consistent prayer life. #2 the reminder that people love us. Our children call daily and offer to fetch things if we need them. They are kindly staying away, though. Our brothers call to check in and report their situation. #3 Quiet! That improved when be began rationing our news consumption to 15-30 minutes in the morning and 15 in the evening. We’re trying to be a cable news free zone. #4 online entertainment — rediscovering all the wonderful digital materials from the public library and streaming movies. #5 deliveries. I wipe down packages but we’ve moved past Amazon to enjoy online ordering for medicines and groceries. #6 just being together. I hope families with children home are blessed with happy memories of time together too. #7 Spring! As you can see the daffodils bloomed. We can at least enjoy the yard.
What is more to the point of this weekly blog, though, is number eight. With all this time to concentrate and imagine, I’ve been writing 1500-2000 words a day and the story is cooking. Now that is a blessing. I’m heading back to it, but first? Coffee.
Love the pictures of the daffodils. I have a small patch in my backyard. They are always the first hope of Spring for me. And you are right about laughter. I found out many years ago that laughter is wonderful medicine for the blues.
Stay safe and keep writing.
Excellent advice! A good time actually to be working on a book.