Our family is busy. On a daily day, the five of us run in five different directions with packed schedules, and crazy long “to-do” lists. With two away at college, the days when the five of us are all home together are limited in number. Introduce the mass hysteria and local intensity of the pandemic COVID 19, we are all home together for an unknown amount of time. Everything is canceled. All immediate social engagements, teams, academic classes & responsibilities, religious services, etc.. are canceled. My son may not have commencement ceremonies as he graduates from college. Definitely a strange new ‘Normal’ for the Benedik’s, and most other families we know.
Brian being Brian and the way he plans, charts, graphs and creates plans on a normal day, called a family meeting last evening. The first night we were all home and together, we went to a local restaurant, and yes I did consume (rather quickly I might add) two cucumber margaritas, but over dinner we made a first draft of a plan. Household projects we would tackle, exercise plans, hikes with the dogs, meals I would try, and daily times to devote to academic responsibilities for the kids. Tensions and tempers were running high already, and my insides were cringing with the reality of what was to come. But the reality of it, how damn lucky are we to be together? Yes, it’s the unknown, we have never had to “isolate” and hunker down like this – but my kids have all their siblings, and both their parents. So many we know are dealing with this while dealing with grief, and loss. I can vent and rant and carry on to Brian all I want, but there are moms & dads in town who have lost their spouse and cannot. The kids can squabble and argue and grumble over having to do an actual chore, but they are an intact trio. They haven’t lost a sibling, buried a brother or sister, and aren’t drowning in the on-going grief some other siblings are during this time of isolation. This morning over a big breakfast of pancakes and sausage, I actually raised my voice and reminded all 3 of them of this fact. We are lucky. We are together. We will be fine.
So as day 1 continues on, and half the neighborhood is walking, biking, raking leaves etc, we will continue with positive attitudes, smart behaviors and actions, and just BE. There is no other way to handle a pandemic in our community. We are smart, educated people – we will make it. Our bar is well stocked too.
Until later… xo KB
Finding my way... 