Quarantine Life
Where are all the people…?
Crazy times…
Hard to believe how many empty streets and neighborhoods there are all across the country…the world even. It’s incredible how interaction is somewhat forbidden and all the affects it has on us.
Where are all the people? As a person who is all things people, I’ve asked that question many times. Not just during these quarantine times, but regular times. I can remember wanting to get with friends or to go out with friends and there was always an excuse; from me or from them. I can remember being paranoid about my house being out of order, or something was broken and I didn't want people to see it. Silly things, when I look back on it now, that really didn’t matter. I’ve made up in my mind that when all of this is said and done, I’m going to definitely live for the moments of the gathering. I want to have friends over, visit, laugh and meet no matter if we’re all broke or holding a handful of cash, we’re gettin’ together! I’ve never wanted to be a high school kid again and just hang out with my friends more than I do right now. The fact that I can’t do it when I want to, is what makes it the hardest. I hate being told I can’t do something, don’t you?
Through their eyes
I watch them play outside when they can’t take being in the house another minute. I watch them look around when we walk through our neighborhood, for relief and exercise, and I can see the disappointment. I see their anticipation of potentially seeing another little person outside, but, it doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, the streets are bare. The days are quiet and it’s literally like “The Walking Dead” around here. It’s a hard thing to explain to an 11 and 12 year old. They realize there is an issue, but they don't quite get everything going on right now. Everything is changing.
If anyone would have told us that this would be the way things would be coming out of Spring break, I’m pretty sure we all would have laughed. There’s no way, I would’ve imagined that my little ones wouldn’t be able to finish their school year actually at school with their friends. These were some important years for the kids. Pre-teen land is where we live and this change is equivalent to a 10.0 on the Richter scale. It’s that serious. No 5th grade graduation, and that was heartbreaking. My daughter was looking forward to walking across the stage and finally being able to be one of the “top dogs” at her school. All that changed in an instant. She was devastated when she found out she wouldn’t be returning this year. “What about my friends, and graduation, Mommy?” she asked. The look on her face was so sad. You see, she’s a people person too. She loves her friends, hanging out, hugging and being able to laugh. All that has ceased. I know many other families are going through the same scenarios in their homes as well. This is definitely a whole new world we’re living in right now; and I don’t anticipate it ever being the same as it was.
All we want for our little ones is a life without struggle, hardship or disappointment. Many of these things are completely out of our control. Looking at the circumstances we’re being faced with right now, is certainly out of our hands. My main focus in these days and times to come is, keeping the two little people in my life in a good place spiritually, emotionally and physically. I know it’s hard and hopefully, we can keep pushing through until things change.