Don't Worry Be Happy

We are all powering through a tough time. We are learning how to live completely different lives. It really started in our house on March 13th (yes, it was Friday the 13th). That was the first day that schools were closed because of COVID-19. At the time, it was announced as a temporary measure. That then turned into a more long-term solution then finally it was announced that the schools are closed for the remainder of the school year.

The point is that the longer we are practicing social distancing, locking ourselves in our homes, and keeping away from everyone the harder it will be. It is easy to keep spirits high when things are new. It is fresh in our minds. It is almost something novel (no pun intended) and we all come together to support our community.

This is, of course, a great thing. The real challenge will arrive in week 2, week, 4, week 8, month 3, month 4…… The longer we are living with this medical crisis the more difficult it will be to keep spirits up. Morale will start to fall and stress will start to rise. Parents will be shorter and shorter with kids that want nothing more than to see their friends, give them hugs, and chat about the mundane. Kids will become increasingly frustrated with parents because they are forcing them to stay away from friends, to keep doing homework without a school to go to, and making them go for walks just to get some exercise (but wash your hands until your skin is chalky to make sure you are safe).

Guys, it is going to get hard so I wanted to make this post to remind us all that it will be okay. I was out for a walk on the day I’m writing this and there was no one around. I was able to hear this babbling brook. It was calming so I thought I’d share a few seconds with you.

The trails around my neighborhood were filled with inspiring messages written in chalk from kids much smarter than any adult. Keep them in mind as we work as a community to stay safe and healthy.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite parts of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens when I think of how we should act. Rizzo and I go to see the show live on stage each year. I wanted to make sure to remind myself of this very idea.

“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long, calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”

We are all in this together. Keep your head up. We will make it through together.