I haven't written a post in a long time. Not because there hasn't been anything interesting happening, I just didn't feel that spark that pushed me to write down what I was thinking. I started this blog to create a record of my memories and thoughts for my grand kids. I have more than enough moments of my thoughts recorded. Until now.
This year started out like any year, except I knew it would be the year that I retired, a big deal for someone who has been working for most of the past 53 years. Excitement and anticipation. There was a lot of chaos in the world, but I am an optimistic person who believes in solutions, and a realistic person who knows solutions to problems don't happen overnight. So I was cruising along, counting months...then the year fell apart...SARS-CoV-2 happened, the economy crashed, and our whole world turned upside down in the space of a few weeks. For people who believed the coronavirus pandemic is real (it is), their worlds filled with more chaos and worry than they bargained for. People who didn't believe it was real, saw conflicting information that made it seem like a political lie (but the death toll and infection rate speaks a different story). Most of all I believe that all this chaos, anger, blame-placing and name-calling has stopped Americans from what we have always done, and that is to pull together in a national crisis and support, protect and help each other.
As a way of coping, many of us have drawn comfort from routine things, and learned to appreciate things we may not have paid much notice to before this year.
I am one of those people who have become acutely aware of everyday things. I worry, am anxious much of the time and fear that something might happen to one of my family members, or to me before I can retire. When the worry gets to be too much, I just focus on the little things. Things like this morning, routine things that make me smile and give me respite from worry and anxiety.
This morning was one of those times. Many mornings I drink chai latte, because I love it and my cat Sam loves the milk foam on the top. This morning, I made my chai, and whipped enough milk in a cup to add to my tea, give Sam a big spoonful, and have enough for Holly, and Cheddar.
I realized how much I enjoyed the tea, because I was totally focused on it and not thinking about anything else, including the fall I took yesterday that banged me up leaving me feeling like I had been hit by a truck. As I watched the animals, I noticed that they are always focused on the here and now, and rarely distracted by anything else.
Later, as I watched Cheddar sunning in the yard, and Holly sunning by the door, I took a deep breath as the realization hit me that no matter how crazy the world gets, how chaotic, and hateful and angry people get, we all have these moments available, the moments that make up our routine, that provide stability in an unstable world.
I believe that is what will get us through this year...routine moments in our lives...and I am betting we will never completely take those moments for granted again.
