Can We Talk 2

Getting Back Out (Away From Safe Shelter)

DAY 2737 May 15, 2020
Places are opening back up as the restrictions are lifted. How do you feel about this? Do you think we'll be able to return to the way things are?

         I have mixed feelings. I want people to work again and earn a paycheck. Not everyone had the option to work at home. I want to visit more businesses, but I'm afraid. That leads to why I don't think we'll ever go back completely to the way things were a few months ago.

         The grocery store seems to have it under control. Both customers and employees are wearing masks and gloves. People are waiting courteously for others to get through the entryway before pushing their own way in or out. But the home and garden stores are just masses of crazy people. No masks, no gloves, brushing up against you. I'm afraid that people will think everything is okay and they won't practice precautions. They will get reckless. And this is pollen season, so people are sneezing and coughing a lot.

         My next door neighbor is a doctor. She's self-quarantined herself from her family. She's living downstairs, and they live upstairs. They don't eat together or stand in the same room. They meet outside at night around the fire pit so that she can see them and talk to them. She doesn't want to risk their health, especially since her husband is past retirement age. She is exercising caution, so I think we should, too, not to that extreme if we don't work in a medical practice.

         When the vaccine is available, and there are no new reports of illness or deaths from it, we can begin to relax. But we will have this little fear inside us forever. We can never regain the carefree attitude we once had.

         I've developed some new attitudes, too. I don't want to play hand bells any longer. I'm going to let my hair grow long again and let the gray come in naturally. I may color it gray once I figure out what my natural gray shade is. I'm rather pleased with my yard work and want to maintain it. And a "company ready" clean house isn't a bad idea either.