9 Weeks of Sheltering in Place
Here I am 9 weeks of sheltering in place.
I feel very grateful to live here in the desert, if you have to be quarantined at home this is the place to be. I haven’t always felt this way, since my move from Northern California, but the desert has grown on me.
For someone who is very social, this has been very challenging! Being away from my friends and family especially my twin grand daughters is difficult.
I have learned to Skype and Zoom which has given the twins and I a very special time together. The silver lining in all of this is that we are closer now than ever before. They share their thoughts with me, for instance, what it’s like to be homeschooled and talk to their teacher online, or why they have to wear a mask.
At the beginning of our shelter-in-place,my husband Randy, and I cooked, cleaned, played games, painted, and hiked the Cove. This is easy I thought, we’ve got this! Now 9 weeks of being sequestered, a lot of things are coming up for me, my compromised health,questioning who I am, what is my life purpose.
I am realizing this self-reflection is a part of my spiritual journey.
Randy and I have been married for 39 years. During our sheltering in place, we’ve shared insightful and sometimes difficult conversations. But we have moved through them with a better understanding and will continue to open up with each other.
Speaking up has always been a struggle for me. What’s my hesitation?Is it fear of being vulnerable? I know that is why this article is so hard for me to write as I experience fear and sweaty palms, I ask myself is it important for anyone to share my thoughts?
Is what I say important to anyone? Most importantly is it important tome? At the same time, I feel good that I am putting myself out there with this article.
I recognize that growing and evolving is a lifetime of work. In writing this I finally feel the importance of putting pen to paper,it has allowed me to express my feelings, duh?
Like James says “once you open the door it’s impossible to close” Well, that’s never been so true for me! I am looking at myself in a deeper way and being my true self.
As this shelter-in-place is starting to lift I have been thinking, I need more time to integrate the changes that are taking place within me, by continuing to meditate, taking quiet walks, and writing. I can continue this new understanding of who I am.
It’s been gratifying to see people reaching out to each other with so much compassion. And I also realize the importance of compassion for myself.
I don’t know what the “new normal” is going to look like but with self-love and love for one another, we will get through this experience TOGETHER…