My world is pretty small these days. As I write this sitting on my front porch swing, I watch people walk by on my sidewalk. The old couple next door, holding hands, hunched over and committed to the moment. The family of three with a grey and black spotted dog. The dad finally looks up and sees me. They are talking, talking and then he acknowledges my presence. We wave across a distance.
Nobody is wearing a mask when they are outside. I know there’s a global virus still in effect and yet, I don’t see evidence of it as I sit and swing. I don’t have a mask on. Two teenagers ride by on their bikes, oblivious to anything outside their bubble.
In past years, sitting on my porch, I would hear local bands singing their hearts out at the neighborhood brewery. Sometimes they would sing so clearly that I could understand each word. That’s not the case this year. The brewery has reopened but with fewer tables. With more outdoor seating. With fewer customers. With less music.
Also in past years I would sit and be surrounded by the sound of crickets. Gone. No crickets. Have you noticed? In the middle of the night, I stand in my backyard and listen to silence. Where have they gone?
Getting on a plane isn’t going to happen to me for a long time. I’d rather drive. I’ve visited Bryce Canyon National Park in the past month and fell in love all over again. All that inviting open sky. All those intoxicating reds… coral-red, orange-red, eon-red, infinity-red, ancestor-red that changed hues as the earth’s movements inched along. Watching the sun go down in this colorful region, counting the stars as they came out against a black sky and falling into another day was one of my most special memories of that trip.0
It felt good to do something again. To be on the road. Going somewhere. I’m eager to add some ‘normal’ events back into my world and let my senses come alive again.
Finding my way to the water has been healing for me this summer. Standing on the water, swimming in a pool or coasting in a kayak have been highlights, saving graces, and meditative times for me. Meeting a friend for an early morning kayak ride in Estes Park, paddle-boarding and kayaking on the 6-mile long Horsetooth Reservoir or swimming in a neighborhood pool helps to waken my senses and fills me with gratitude for these wonderful opportunities.
I know others have turned to biking, quilting or painting. Many have started gardens, learned a language and finished a college degree. Closets, attics and basements have been emptied, cleaned and repurposed. Cookbooks have been dusted off and family recipes have resurfaced.
I’m aware that there’s no end in sight for this virus until we have leadership that mandates change. Mandates masks. Leadership that allows science to discover, medicine to heal, and politics to govern, not to enrage, cause dissent and create chaos. How have you decided to mingle with humanity again?
So, while I wait this out, I am letting water soothe me. As we suffer through an intense heat wave, I seek out my water sanctuary. My companion. My friend.
And you? Have you turned to something new to help you during these coronavirus times? Reached out and found something that helps you feel grounded? Tell me.
Stay well, stay safe and stay strong!
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I like that you have found your way to water that soothes and heals and blesses you during these trying times. What soothes me? Hmmm…my morning routine of quiet meditation, listening to spiritual teachings, doing yoga stretches. Walking. Yes, walking definitely soothes. Gardening–sometimes. It would be nice to be traveling again, but for right now the new normal has been sticking close to home. But keep debating endlessly whether to go visit my elderly mother downstate later this month. Lots of pros and cons to consider.
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Hi Margie – I love your post about being on the water and getting outdoors. I’m going to link it to mine, as we have a similar theme going here. As time has gone on, I’ve gotten more and more dissatisfied with sitting in the house and watching T.V. There’s a whole world of things you can do outdoors that are good for the soul. Added benefit – you don’t have to wear a mask in the woods!
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Pingback: A Walk in the Woods – or beating those stay-cation blues! | The Library Lady Travels
The water really has been a lifesaver for me this summer. More so than ever before since all the other options have faded away. Like you, I debated on a roadtrip to visit my granddaughter. And here I am, back on the road. I have no desire to get on an airplane but I’ll get in a vehicle and drive 1000 miles and sleep in clean motels along the way. Love your comments! Thanks so much.
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The sitting in the house has run it’s course, hasn’t it? At first I loved being still even though it was forced upon me. Then as the temperature warmed up, I was ready to break free. A road trip was in store for me to drive from Colorado, through Wyoming, across Utah and down to the capitol of Nevada to visit family. I don’t trust the confinement of an airplane. I keep hearing that this fall everything will be more intense. so I am getting my travel in now. Thanks for writing and sharing my link.
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I’m getting plenty of rural nature, but I do envy you the red rock canyons, your open roads, and the water – three of my favourite things. I’ve still got to go and see the sea, I’ve been waiting until it quietens down when the kids go back to school and God knows when I can next have a decent swim in a swimming pool – sea swimming too cold in Scotland where I am! So you carry on enjoying, you’re doing the right things :>)
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Thank you for your comments. Rural nature is so soothing during our current times. Being able to walk and breathe in the air and breathe out stress is a thing of beauty. Currently there are 4 wildfires burning in my state. The air has a surreal quality about it and the sun looks like a speck of orange in the sky. I long for moisture and rain. A visit to your moist green environment would be a welcome change right now!
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Nice blog
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