Yes, it’s hard to believe but there is a silver lining tucked inside this rather copious cloud. Here are some good things that have happened to me living on corona lockdown in one of the virus’s epicenters
1. I finally gave up picking at my nose and face. Yes, it’s embarrassing to admit to holding onto these toddler behaviors (I’m a grandmother) and even more embarrassing to write about them (that’s one of the reasons I am signing off anonymously) but I finally conquered the habit. Knowing that your snot or facial oils may attach to a virus that can kill people is motivation enough to keep errant fingers away from those warm, dark tunnels.
2. I reached out to my cousin… the cousin who took our grandma’s apartment while she was still living in it, the cousin who absconded with the family jewels, the cousin who sued me. This week we spoke on the phone for a half-hour. It was our longest and most meaningful contact in a decade. With the angel of death staring us both in the face, now is the time for peace.
3. I’ve given up on online clothes shopping. All those hours searching for designer bargains on eBay, Neiman Marcus last call and ‘the Real Real”, don’t add up, especially now.
4. I’m reaching out to friends, even friends I know only casually or have lost touch with. A woman from my choir, former classmates, an old friend of my mother’s. Anybody who seems to be weathering this thing alone deserves a text or a phone call! And it’s paying off. Love is like compounded interest. A small investment yields huge dividends.
5. I’m digging deeper into my art. No, I’m not a talented artist, but water coloring calms my mind.
6. I’m practicing yoga with online teachers. When I can, I go walking outside on the empty sidewalks and I’m trying to eat and cook nutritious, mostly vegan meals to beef up the immune system.
7. I’m trying to laugh. A shout out to Conan O’Brien whose coronavirus routine destroyed my mascara and necessitated a change of undies.
8. I’m looking for the spiritual lessons. I’m listening to my favorite Coronatime Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger who’s always got something wise to share.
9. I’m journal recording this experience. I feel like I’m writing history, because I am.
10. I’m amping up my prayers. There are no atheists in foxholes and the entire planet has become one big foxhole. Just as G-d got us into this thing, G-d will get us out. Be blessed.
Joan Orange is a writer who loves to share her observations of Jewish life.