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A Year Later . . . Looking at a few silver linings from the pandemic
BY: » Jean Spangler
W
e can all agree that the past year and a half has been one we hope not to experience again. I remember the early months of the pandemic when I was actually afraid of my cereal or Amazon boxes for fear of contracting COVID-19. My worries also revolved around my toilet paper supply, endless scavenger hunts for disinfectant wipes and obtaining the most protective masks. Now that worldwide vaccinations are well under way and the country is slowly but surely returning to some normalcy, it’s time to reflect on some positive things we experienced during the past year. Whether you are married with kids, or single, we all had our challenges and struggles. Everyone’s anxieties were real, and no one had the corner market on fear, frustration, and loneliness. I’ve sympathized with parents of young children who were on call for potty training to geography lessons while still trying to work remotely and keep their jobs on track. I’ve laughed with empty nesters who learned what it would be like if their spouse retired and was home all day. Single people shared coping strategies to combat isolation with many coming to the realization that there is a 22 LimitlessMagOnline.com | June 2021
difference between being lonely and solitude. I know many who had more time to devote to their art—whether it was painting, quilting, or DYI projects.
A place to unwind
As a single woman, I experienced a lot of anxiety during the early part of the pandemic. Fortunately, an old college friend who I tease has been social distancing for decades, has a house in a very rural part of eastern North Carolina. When the “shelter in place” order came, I was lucky enough to escape my townhouse for several days a month to his home that sits among 200-year-old pines. The nearest grocery store is 15 miles away, so its seclusion and quiet environment was unique for my “on the go” personality. And, as a houseguest, I first found it difficult to adhere to my friend’s “reading hours”—two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon, until I found adjusting to that routine made me more relaxed than I’d been in decades. For the first time that I can recall, I slowed down...way down.
The unexpected luxury of time
During the pandemic I read or listened to more than 50 books. I would never
allow myself such luxury before the pandemic. There was always some errand I had to do, or someone I needed to visit, a birthday to plan, or places to go. Now, I had time to read and think and that made a huge difference in my ability to reduce my occasional anxiety. I also discovered the pressure to “un-entertain.” I enjoy having people over for a cocktail or dinner, but not always the prep time of grocery shopping, setting a beautiful table, or constructing a creative cheeseboard. Once it was safe to have one person over for a glass of wine, I was relieved of the pressure of serving a beautiful charcuterie board. Instead, I simply put some nuts in individual cups and called it a day. A dinner with a friend became more about visiting than what was served. I am not much of a formal entertainer, so for me, that was another positive of the pandemic. Now that we are all entering the “re-entry” phase I plan to stick to this type of simplicity. I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling.
Zooming in
Like most people, my civic and church meetings were held on Zoom. I probably loved Zoom more than most people. First, because it didn’t require thinking about what to wear and applying make-
