Who are you quarantined with?
I am fortunate to be in the presence of my immediate family
during this pandemic. In times of
difficulty it really does matter the people that are with us. My parents have been my rock, they have
helped me maintain a positive attitude especially during a few months that I thought
I was slipping into an old familiar depressive state. Their laughter echoes throughout the house, a
joyful sound that I have grown accustomed to.
Since, working from home I have been able to have lunch with them daily
just the three of us (well four if you include a black-shadow-of-a-wolf called
Francis) and those interactions have allowed me to know them more deeply and
for my admiration only to increase.
Lately, though things have been a little difficult for
them. While Covid remained a background
worry, these past weeks the virus has claimed the lives of people close to us. First a childhood friend of mom’s and a couple
weeks later my aunt. These losses hit my
parents deeply, I could see the pain mixed with fear in their eyes. In our culture, it’s important to be present in
times of trouble – but due to Covid restrictions and overall the danger of travel
for people their age they were unable to accompany my family in Mexico for
burial services. This inability to come
together in times of pain really hit hard.
Yet, we are lucky. We
have one-another. In the first months of
this life changing pandemic I was the one battling with my mental health and my
folks were the ones helping me stay afloat.
Now that things have turned, I find myself offering them a little
silliness to lighten the bleak times and coming with creative alternatives to
show our support even from a distance.
If anything, this past year of isolation has shown me that
we can’t make it on our own. We all need
others to help us in our journey. Connection
with each other is what makes life worth it.
While I have missed the freedom to go out wherever and whenever I want –
I have been in isolation with my best people.
In times like these, that’s the biggest blessing.
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