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COVID AND A BIT OF MELANCHOLY

Monday, April 13, 2020

It has been 30 days now since I started sheltering at home, and like many of you there are days when it starts to wear me down. Days when I feel melancholy seeping in. 


This past Thursday and Friday were two of those days. Thursday I made myself get outside for a little walk, but I felt the weight of what being sedentary for four weeks has done to my body. Again on Saturday I felt the same way. 

Sunday I woke up with a renewed desire to move forward. I cut my own hair, took my shower, painted my toenails for sandal weather, put on a little makeup for the first time in four weeks, made deviled eggs like I always do for Easter (even though I am the only one here to eat them) and ate breakfast. This was all before 9 o'clock. 


My daughter sent me pictures of Tessa and Sidney (Jack Henry refused to get out of bed) doing their Easter morning thing, and later a video of Tessa on a sugar and blowing bubble high. In the afternoon they facetimed me. I really appreciate all of that. 

It made me feel a little closer to them, and yet I felt weighted down by the fact that they are only on the other side of the city. So close and yet so far away. 


I know that there are millions of people who are feeling the weight of being alone and of being lonely. It is starting to take its toll on so many of us. 

I am grateful that neither I or anyone in my family has been ill with the coronavirus, that we personally have not suffered any deaths, but each day my heart breaks when I hear the new numbers of the sick and dying.


It all contributes to a bit of melancholy creeping in from time to time, and it is important to acknowledge our feelings. It helps to know that we are not alone. We are all in this together. 

Comments

  1. Thank you for being a truth-teller! Also for helping identify the sad feeling as melancholy. I'm a retired RN and have cried over stories heard. I think part of our distress is the knowledge of an invisible but real virus that is so powerful. Taking walks has been a great way to help myself same as you have found. Best wishes to you. I enjoy your published thoughts, your pictures, and drawings.

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  2. I have those days, too...I need to get outdoors and in the sunshine. We had 8" of snow fall yesterday, and that kept almost everyone inside. Seeing some green grass would do my spirit good!

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  3. Good Morning Laura. I think we are all at where you are right now. Let's just hope that all this shelter in place is working and we will see the numbers begin to go down. This virus is scary and with not knowing a lot about it and how it affects everyone so different is frightening. I too am so happy we have not had any family or friends catching this virus. I worry with having two first responders and an RN in our family on the front lines. I just keep praying this will all end soon and all of us can get back to some kind of normal. Ahhhhh to be able to put flip flops on! Not here yet but cannot wait. Have a good start to the new week.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  4. I am so fortunate to have my patio. I am just anxious for the freezing to stop (hopefully this week) so I can plant annuals.
    Brenda

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  5. I think we're all feeling the same way. There are some days where I'm feeling pretty good and other days - like today - where the melancholy is seeping in again. It is so cold and windy here (only 23 with the wind chill) that I'm just staying in my pajamas and sipping tea. Love and hugs to you.

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  6. I read your last post and want to commend you for staying in. Yes, I really wish people would take this more seriously. You're staying in has helped so many-yourself, your children and grandchildren and even those who work at hospitals. YOU have not had it or spread it, and that is wonderful.
    I am very bothered about people who don't care, and that is what it is. There is too much selfishness and greed, and that is very sad.
    I am sorry for your struggles, but thank you for doing your part. Too bad everyone won't do their part. Please delete this if it is too hard for people to hear-it won't hurt my feelings. I just needed to get it out.

    I am in the Atlanta area as well, and I really am disappointed in what our governor is doing.

    Continue to take good, good care of yourself so you can see your love ones in due time.

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  7. I know what you mean about the melancholy..... my hubby even has it and is usually such a homebody anyway! He is even feeling the strain of staying home and not going anywhere at all, even if it's just a little jaunt to the thrift store to browse. I have days like you describe too... I just get to where the worry wants to overtake me and I start getting really paranoid.. and wonder if I will EVER feel safe going out again. The longer I stay in, the more I DON'T want to go anywhere and wonder when it will actually be safe. Even 6 months from now, with the virus still be "out there" to get us? Talk about paranoia! And I don't even watch any of the news! (hardly). Getting cleaned up and dressed up a little bit does help. I did that one day last week and felt good.. even went for a little drive around our small town, just to see other people in their yards or walking on the street! Yardwork out in the sunshine helps too, which I'm going to do today. Bless you for doing your part in this! Marilyn

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  8. Although I'm indoors for a month as well and with my husband for company; I too feel sad and melancholic quite a few times and can't sleep all night. News all over the world and from nearby us too, saddens and worries me so much. The uncertainty of this situation and the economic fall down for some people especially the young, worries me and makes me wake up very tires and stressed out. I try to exercise on the floor while I watch TV work out, but sometimes I'm to depressed to even feel like it.
    Our daughter lives for now across the street from us with our darling grandgirls, but so very close and yet so very far away. I feel like hugging and kissing the girls.
    Please take care and hope soon than later we can hug each other again.
    Please keep inside and well.
    Blessings,
    Fabby

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  9. We are never alone and I feel that more now than I ever did. Still hard to take at times but it will pass.
    We did take the grand girls their Easter baskets I made them on Sunday and watched them ride bikes and Easter egg hunt. We have to watch them when the parents cannot have a work from home day. Temperatures are taken every day and all have stayed well. They are staying well now since they haven't been in school and I must say doing better in their school work they have been given. Such pretty pictures you have shared here and glad to hear you are doing well. Betsy

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