Keep Talking. Keep Sharing. Keep Loving Each Other.

-If I was talking to Pete Campbell, I may say the same thing. But I am not. Keep talking to me.-


Everything turned upside down overnight.  Covid-19 has made the world literally stop functioning.  While many of us are in full isolation due to medically fragile family members or struggling with our own medical issues, there are so many that are still working very hard every day to support their families and the communities in which they live and work.  Thank you to the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and EMT workers who show up every day. Thank you to the police and fireman who work endless hours to protect us day and night.  And thank you to the store employees who stock shelves, work 6 and 7 days a week and are in physical pain from pushing themselves to the max to make sure our families have food on our tables.

My husband lost his job just over two weeks ago and started a new temporary job this past Friday to help local grocery stores hire as many employees as possible. I am working about 4 days a week trying to help my aging clients in their homes. Groceries, bills, essential needs. My goal is to keep these clients isolated and healthy and I am their only contact. That is why I take social distancing seriously. My real and only job is to keep these 6 clients healthy.

I am an extrovert with introverted tendencies.  I love people, dinners out, concerts, going to church, movie theaters and social gatherings. But I also love quiet family dinners at home, movies and shows on TV and solitude walks.  Staying home for long periods of time works for me. I have had lots of practice staying home in the past three years. Numerous surgeries, sicknesses and time recovering.  I have found that the simplicity of daily life at home is often what is needed to recharge my weary soul when life gets to be a little too much, too crazy, too overwhelming.

But something I love, something I will always treasure is staying in contact with friends near and far. Text messages, social media, private messages, the occasional Facetime. I love funny late night text messages, and seeing pictures of kids and the creative fun they have discovered while spending time at home. Pictures of backyard bonfires, books and shows that are being enjoyed. New music has been  found and wonderful concerts are available online.  I love when new interests are explored and old passions are reignited. All of this I am able to experience because of how interconnected I feel with friends and family around the world.

Thank you for staying in contact with me.

Thank you for sharing your life with me.

Thank you for remembering that you are loved and other people care to know how you are.

Thank you for sending me pictures of your home projects being accomplished.

Thank you for peanut butter and jelly smiles.

Thank you telling me that you dropped a card on my front porch.

Thank you for sharing new recipes with me.

Thank you for talking to me.

Thank you for remembering that sometimes my life can be a little lonely.

Thank you for loving me from a socially appropriate distance.

These glimpses into the daily lives of other people help me feel connected.

When this virus has run its course and this world returns to a new normal, I can't wait to see you. Face to face. To see you smile and laugh, to hug you heart to heart.  To hold on a little bit longer than necessary. To tell you in person you were missed.  To talk with you.

Keep loving each other. Keep talking to each other.  Keep encouraging each other. For right now, that is something we can all do.