Isolation
Laura Rich
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
What have you been doing with your quarantined time at home? Getting exercise? Catching up on TV shows? Counting blades of grass in your yard? During the Coronavirus quarantine, millions of Americans are finding themselves at home -- and a lot of them are home alone.
Besides making us get (very) creative with how to fill the hours we were suddenly given, the isolation that quarantine brings can create higher levels of stress and anxiety to many people. Most of us are nervous about the virus itself and how it will impact our lives. But we’re also anxious about the economy, our children getting their schoolwork done at home, and how we will all come back from this extraordinary time.
Specifically, the elder population may find themselves alone and depending on family, friends, and neighbors to bring them supplies, groceries, and socially-distanced company. Families are stepping up to take care of grandparents and communities are helping neighbors. But that still might not help ease the daily loneliness some people fight.
But luckily, people are creative. They are innovative. And they are not afraid to try new solutions to new problems.
More than ever, technology is bringing us together. Families and friends are Zooming, Facetiming, and Skyping. And while some people had to learn what those words even mean, they are embracing the high tech way of staying in touch with loved ones. Some are even scheduling virtual happy hours or playing remote games together! No matter if families are across the country or across town, technology is helping them stay in touch and not feel so alone. We’re exercising with the help of online classes, and churches are doing online services. If it can stream or be videoed – it’s there to help us through this time.
And how about the very fortunate who can drive by families and friends -- maybe just to honk and wave signs in the air, or to roll down a window for some (6-feet away) real-life face time. Having a birthday during quarantine has become an opportunity for families to get creative and make the day extra-special for loved ones. This time has forced us to slow down and look around, and in doing that, we have found new ways to connect to each other.
Times Like These
It is times like these that we see the true goodness and generosity in our communities. When neighbors grocery shop for each other to eliminate trips in public... when families share meals with other families, to lessen the burden of cooking... or when someone just wants to do something thoughtful to say "I'm thinking of you. I miss you."
That's where flowers are crucial. Those big beautiful bouquets, or even a single spectacular stem, can make someone’s day. They bring joy, smiles, and light up the face of someone you love. But more than that, they send a message of hope and love -- that you're not alone, that we will get through this, and that everyday deserves a little light and a lot of color.
