Slowing down, 180 days in a pandemic
If someone had asked me six months ago; “Nancy, you are about to be quarantined for an unspecified amount of time; what are you going to accomplish?” My list would have included 100 usual things all placed nicely in a spreadsheet: becoming fluent in Italian, learning to be an excellent cook, getting my health in tip-top shape for a trek, preparing for a marathon (!), and listening to a book a week on Audible.
My daily work and personal life have certainly been interrupted and my ability to make my usual social connections are still on pause. I have been worried about family and friends. My own creativity has waned. I procrastinate and yet my to-do list only seems to grow. I had a talk with myself, spoke with only grounded friends and family, meditated, took a deep breath and have let myself relax. My expectations for my to-do list has diminished and I now understand that what I truly need is to lean into my life at a different pace.
The competing political voices (please vote!), the confusion of the virus, the unknown – can be incredibly overwhelming. Doing simple things keeps me balanced.
Part of my new practice has included swearing off all television news before and even after the election. I still consume newspapers and podcasts because of my public relations career. I now purposefully choose when and how to receive information.
It’s easier to move towards more positive and fulfilling activities: I resurrected and revamped my Moon PR website, and began some personal photography projects. I spend more hours with my fun husband. I am taking Italian language classes with a college friend. I learned FinalCut for editing film. I took an interest in drone photography which was unfortunately cut short when I crashed Steve’s drone at the beach (it’s a work in progress!). I still edit his (very good!) films. I always find time to volunteer a lot with the land trust and the backyard beekeepers group, taking photographs and spearheading their public relations.
I’m feeling the desire to write my Over the Moon About blog posts once again … and take the accompanying photographs. That is a nice change.
Since March, one upside to the pandemic, is I have become a better beekeeper. I read numerous beekeeping books and added a third beehive this past year. I am getting to know my neighborhood again. By walking many miles a day. I can seek out places I didn’t know existed, visit new streets, and admire the area homes and gardens. As a perk of living in an active part of a beach town, we meet neighbors who happen to stroll past my house.
Connecting with my surroundings allows me to revel in the simplicity of life, to look forward to a hello from another person waiting out this storm. Part of that simplicity also includes taking time to listen to my body and maintain my health through a diet free of gluten, dairy, and sugar.
We are all experiencing this time so differently, and although it feels nice to reaffirm the positives, this moment requires so much introspection and some personal sacrifice. I still haven’t seen my 92-year-old mother who lives in Florida. I miss her so much and we talk/Facetime three times a day.
Just as I was writing this blog post, a colorful change is happening down the street.
If you like this or any of my other blog posts, feel free to follow me and sign up here. I create something every few weeks and you will receive an email when it comes out. I used various cameras, Canon and Leica, for this post, along with my trusty iPhone 11.
