June 13, 2020 Covid and Gratitude

Today Laura said how much she liked not being shoved and pushed since Covid. “I’m short and no one notices me so they poke me on elevators with their elbows or reach over me for things. I like that for once in my life people have been respecting my personal space.”  She went on to say. “Strangers don’t chat with me when we’re wearing masks and I like not having to talk after working with people all day.”

I had to admit, I liked working from home. “I hated the commute and the traffic jams and all the disruptions,” I said.  Now I just have to get from bed to office.

“I”ve really liked the quiet here. Downtown it’s still noisy with people shouting even though there’s less traffic. In Burnaby its so quiet now.” She said.

“I liked that life was simplified. I’m walking Gilbert twice a day but haven’t had to go to all those ‘things’ that just made everything so ‘busy’. “I liked them mostly but I felt pulled by a lot of obligations and expections and this freed me of that.” People had been talking about how terrible things were but we were actually faring okay.

We loved Netflix, watching movies on Friday and Saturday night, barbecuing and just hanging out.  I used to feel some ‘pressure’ to ‘go out’, ‘to take in a movie, a play, a concert’, ‘to get together with friends’, ‘to socialize’. But now we’re just sitting at home enjoying each other’s company.  We are here with Gilbert a bit like young families who describe this period of partial isolation as, ‘nesting’.

“I’ve liked the Post Office and Amazon and on line ordering and delivery.  It’s a bit like when I was growing up and we ordered everything from the Bay and Sears catalogue.  We didn’t shop for half the stuff we did before Covid.  It’s a bit like living in the 60’s and 70’s again.  That same sense of time and space.” I shared.

“I know.  People are more subdued and less catty.  On facebook there’s still that bickering and looking for a fight but in person people aren’t like that anymore. There’s more manners again.  I like that.” She said.

“I’m loving ornithology and photography again and I just got too busy, somehow.  I felt like a work week was a crazy tunnel I descended into and was spit out the end at the weekend just to recovery for another week. Now I’m actually feeling I’m getting some time to relax in the evening. Instead of an hour commute I have an hour to walk Gilbert and look at birds.’  You know we’re talking as neighbours.’ I continued, ‘  In the evening three or four of us have frequently chatted with each other six feet away. I’ve chatted with my neighbours more in the last month than the whole year before. I remember Dad and Mom growing up having the time to chat with their neighbours and now I’m doing it. It’s only because of the lockdown.  It’s strange how that turned out.’

“I’m love reading. I love Kindle and getting books from Amazon. I have more time,’ she said. 

“I’m loving riding my motorcycle and not thinking I’m going to be killed in the city by some guy drunk or stoned in road rage. It’s easier to maneuver now, less cars, less angst.  I’ve really enjoyed riding the Harley about town to do the few errands I have to do.”

Gilbert enjoyed having us with him more. He talked to his other dog friends and they said it was the same. They didn’t know why but it seemed humans were slowing down. Some were even remembering the importance of throwing the ball.