Writing Again in Covid-19 Times

I miss writing. I’ve been “selling” myself as a political candidate lately but it’s not the same.

I just wrote a thoughtful blog post to return with but when I went to post it, I got an error message and “poof” it was gone, so here I go again. I will write something less thoughtful right, so I can follow through on my desire to start writing and posting again.

All other news has disappeared, and we are in Covid-19 times. I have it easy, more or less, but it still has thrown me off kilter. We are all in emergency mode and in limbo – a gigantic pause. For those of us not on the front lines – neither working in hospitals nor fighting the virus ourselves or with a loved one nor losing income from disappeared jobs – we battle with ourselves and our minds. We move back and forth between finding new routines and being productive and feeling the fatigue of not knowing how long this will go on for and dips into self-pity. Lives have been interrupted. Graduations canceled. Trips to visit grandchildren uncertain. Careers on “slow time”. Classroom rituals moved online.

I have it good. A beautiful place to live and work in with the North Oconee in my backyard and spring unfolding out my windows. I can choose between my neighborhood streets to walk on, filled more than ever with neighbors happy to exchange COVID small talk, or the “secret” trails along the river. I live alone but have my sister to “shelter in place” with for regular dinners together and enough friends and family to check in with that I can feel guilty for not keeping up with everyone. And I have my campaign for county commissioner to keep working on – a focus for each day.

Still there is the uncertainty about how long this will go on for, the feeling of being in limbo, the general anxiety from daily COVID updates. The COVID19 blues and self-pity still emerge despite how much you know you are in a lucky position compared to so many, many others. My advice to self and others – be generous and kind, not only with others but with yourself. We are in unknown territory