COVID19: Turns Out, It IS the Small Stuff That's Important

 

We always hear "Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff," but it seems the small stuff is now becoming the big stuff.

 

I believe when this pandemic is over, we're all going to rush back not to the huge events, but to the tiny things that we didn't realize were important until we lost them. When it started, and we thought it would be over in the summer, we had not yet started to miss the summer things. Now we not only miss the little summer things, but are starting to miss the little fall and winter things in advance, because we know we can't have them. 

 

These are a few of the things I miss the most.

• Hugs. I really, REALLY miss hugs. When this is over, I'm going to go stand in front of WalMart with a sign that says "free hugs here," and just hug everyone I see.
• Visiting. I'm something of a recluse, so I figured being isolated wouldn't bother me too much, but I've found that visiting with neighbors and friends is something I miss very much. Most of my friends are older, like me, and 99% of them aren't online, so all I can do is talk on the phone. The ones who are online only want to text, and I hate texting, so communication with them has become very limited. I really miss that person-to-person interaction, even on the rare occasions that I initiated it or accepted it.
• Smiling and speaking to people in public.  I love smiling and speaking to people. Being from the South, a large part of our social interaction is chatting to complete strangers in grocery stores. I left SW Florida in part because not many people chat in grocery stores, and if you try to, they look at you like you're crazy. Up here in N. Florida, which is considered the "deep south" of Florida, it's so nice to have people who actually like chatting in the cereal aisle, or giving each other tips about what brands are best and when they're going on sale. In my home town of Columbia, SC, we would actually exchange recipes for tailgating snacks in the store during college football season. Seriously, we carried them around in our purses. It was one of those "southern things."
• Riding the bus. It was so much fun to be able to hop a bus and go anywhere in town. Sometimes it meant taking hours to get there, but usually was well worth it. I loved chatting with the drivers and other passengers, seeing all the students getting on and off.
• Thrift shopping. Our Goodwill is open, but I can't safely go there. I talked to a friend and she says it's a madhouse, social distancing is not possible, and they aren't enforcing the mask ordinance. I really, really need new clothes, but I guess I'll have to wait. It's not just the packed stores, it's the not knowing who's touched the clothes you're going to put on your body to try on.
  
• Browsing.  I love window shopping, just cruising the sidewalks, peering into the little mom-and-pop shops. I used to go to a store and slowly peruse every aisle, touching and holding things, and getting ideas for projects or activities. I hate all this rushing in and out of everywhere. I especially miss being able to wander around garden centers, being overwhelmed with the colors and scents, discovering what's new, picturing the plants in my own gardens.
  
• Trusting people. I generally hold the philosophy that most people are good. Now I look at anyone who isn't masked, has it pulled down or only over their mouth as a threat to me. I try not to, but I know sometimes they can see the fear in my eyes. I wonder if they feel the same way, and it makes me sad that it's come to this. How can we not be divided, when we can't trust each other not to spread a deadly disease to us or our loved ones?

 Life will get back to "normal" one day, or will it? Will we ever be able to do the things we used to do and trust that we won't die from it? As the winter cold and flu season approaches, will every cough and sneeze seize us with panic? I lived through the AIDS epidemic in the 80s, and that was so different. Yes, we were afraid, but of tangible things like blood transfusions and unsafe sex, not having people simply breathe, cough or sneeze on us.  Will we ever recover from this fear for our own mortality and be able to feel safe again?

 

Only time will tell.