I was thinking this morning, as I ran around the block at how much simpler life has become sense the COVID party started. Now that it is coming to end (is it coming to an end?), I am reluctantly start to get back into the business of being a good little stressed out American consumer. I made multiple loops around the neighborhood this morning, starting at around 6am and ending around 8am, I had time for about 4 loops. Each time around, I saw new people, and as the morning came around more and more people. 6 months ago this process would have netted encounters with a only a handful of people, mostly dog walkers. Now there is a whole different thing going on. Girlfriends of all ages enjoying their new walking or running clubs. Husband and wife walking teams. Mother and Son, Father and Daughter teams. Entire families of people, and one family of ducks.
My feet were my carriage this morning. I was not rushing off to a plane flight. I was not in a mad craze to get the kids to school, or to get to target before the mob. I had no intention of going anywhere today. Just running around the block before I had to jump on some calls. I found time to prepare and eat meals, at the kitchen table even. I spent time in my backyard, taught my daughter to throw a frisbee. I took a break around lunch time and worked on a house project with my wife. Now I am casually ending the day at 5:30. Choosing to not turn on the news, as they seem to want to pull me into another crisis now. We are going to sit down and eat dinner as a family, one in which my wife is preparing.
My kids are reading books, I am planning on talking a evening walk. I will have time to hang with my wife and watch YASS (Yet Another Streaming Show). I will get to bed on time, I will complete and achieve all my commitments and habits today. Nothing is acting as an obstacles right now. Just my boredom perhaps, but I think I am working the kinks out on that one. Now society is trying to tell me that I can go back to normal. Hmmm, Was that really normal?
Maybe I don’t want to go back! Maybe we should just all decide, in a sort of group think pact that we are just going to stay as is. Doctor appointments via Zoom are not that bad. It is not like they really did much anyway. Even better, they seem to listen now and actually pay attention. Yeah face to face interaction is really important, but I am not sure it is worth the price of all of that. Am I alone here? I get the feeling that I am not the only person that has woke up and realized that my home life that I am paying a mint to maintain is not so bad after all. Maybe I should enjoy it a little more?
After all they are burning our cities down right now, maybe this groundhog will just go running back into his hole. If what is on my television is what life after COVID is like, then count me out. Guess I will stay on my feet, those spiderwebs that have collected on the windshield wipers of my car can stay there a little longer.
Guy Reams
