Calm in the time of Covid-19

What to say during this time of Covid-19?  How will I remember 2020?  It is certainly different for each person although for me it is a time of reflection, calm, surrendering to isolation, facial masks, social distancing, sanitizing and some fear of catching the virus.  

Time has eluded me since March 13th when I left New York City, escaping to the Hamptons.  I was unaware that I would not be returning until months later, and only then for a few days.  Luckily, when I left, not knowing the city would be shut down, I fortuitously packed an overnight bag with my computer, financials, prescriptions, and a few clothing items.   It is amazing how little wardrobe I require in Southampton while my closets remain overflowing in Manhattan.   I am thankful for Amazon, DSW, Jockey, Timberland and other online merchants for supplementing my wardrobe, especially the lightweight cotton PJ’s which kept me cool during the hot summer nights as well as the sheepskin lined boots I bought for a 75% savings in July, will most assuredly warm my feet this winter.   I am grateful that my Murray Hill apartment has been well taken care of by my lovely neighbor.  She is collecting my mail and watering my numerous dracaena corn plants, maranta prayer plants, aloe vera plants as well as the most delicate and significant plant to me, a fifty-year-old cascading philodendron, which I have treasured over the years because it began from a small clipping of a philodendron once nurtured by my mother.  I returned to the city for quick overnight stays on two occasions at the end of summer, keeping the radio on low volume for the plants to have a favorable environment without my being there to talk to them.  Following my last visit, I cried after I said goodbye to my doorman as I walked away from the building, not knowing when I would return on a more permanent basis.  So sad to leave my world behind, but I shall embrace working on projects, which enlighten and inspire me now as well as in the future when this pandemic is over.    

As the months disappear, spending my time in the idyllic surrounding of Southampton, I long for a return to the way we were before the pandemic.  Fortunately, I enthusiastically embark upon walking on the secluded shores of the pristine beaches, dipping my toes into the ocean to test its temperature while picking up a heart-shaped shell or rock along the way to add to my collection.   How delightful it is taking bike rides on the quiet and scenic tree-lined streets with limited traffic, waving as I say “Buenos Dias” to the workers as I weave by to avoid their leaf blowers and lawn mowers.     A street, near the famous Cooper’s Beach, reminds me of Provence with many round bales of hay, artfully scattered throughout the large field.   This area brings back fond remembrances of travels to the beautiful French countryside sprinkled with lovely lavender fields.  On every bike ride, I gaze into the fields grateful for the beauty and serenity which surrounds me.  Juxtaposing my adventures outdoors with working on the computer or catching up on television news, I have taken over preparing dinner for my partner and his elderly mother.   Cooking invigorates my mind, body, and soul while developing my sophisticated palate and passes the time as the afternoon retreats into the evening.   A libation or two while I am cooking, coupled with an unpredictable spur-of-the moment song from Spotify, enhances my preparation for the evening’s cuisine.  Cheers!

Educational highlights spanning these many weeks have included PBS and Smithsonian programs as well as various online events.  As part of my memberships to several organizations, the Producer’s Guild offers screenings of films and television shows followed by discussions with actors and production personnel.  The Association of Foreign Press-USA has had exceptional educational sessions with Microsoft and Google and continues with great programs.   And the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network has inspiring online discussions with renowned women executives.   

Time slips away viewing Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter with friends and colleagues posting their thoughts and feelings about the world.  Checking in daily or weekly via phone, Facetime or Zoom with family members, who are also staying close to home and not socializing, have been cherished communications.  My family and I are in conversations sharing our daily dilemmas including where to purchase specific items made in the USA.  As all of us are skilled in the kitchen, we relish our discussions pertaining to favorite recipes as well as using alternative ingredients in our meals.   Lastly, and most endearing, are reminisces concerning memorable moments from our youth, recounting stories from the beginning days of our careers during the changing moods and social mores of the 1970s.  The current generation would not fathom these stories to be true.   Speaking of generations, it is sheer joy as we congratulate my grandnephew, who just celebrated his first birthday.  Although we are eager to meet him in person which requires airl travel, FaceTime or Zoom now connects us showing him scampering around the house with Mommy and Daddy guiding him through his excitement of the moment.  We wonder what his world will be like in the years ahead. 

Desperate for conversations during this time, political discussions have been tactfully avoided to refrain from heated arguments with those opposing my view of the Presidential election. For those who agree with my political beliefs, we are dismayed and angered by our crumbling democracy although comforted knowing that truth wins out over evil, eventually.  We anxiously awaited the results of the elections in November. 

Life is very unpredictable on our current journey, nevertheless, we must remember that this too shall pass.   May the world embrace social distancing, wearing masks to stay safe, and may each day bring a moment of happiness, laughter, and most importantly love as we travel the menacing road on Highway Covid-19.