Once I finished up my last workshop at the end of March, Louisiana and New Orleans were on lockdown due to the Corona virus. I'd already booked a ticket home for April 6, but had no idea where we would be by that time.
Now, we all know.
The facts and circumstances of Covid-19 affect each of us differently. I often said that I felt like I had "Pandemic Privilege!" I was in a place where I was comfortable. I had a regular monthly income and some savings. I had people who loved and supported me close by. All of the things that I needed to support my "essential" life-grocery stores, pharmacies, post-office and bank were all just a short bike ride away.
What I hadn't counted on as a single person who chooses to have no car and no television, was that there was person to person live contact that was not going to be possible.
As time went on, really right up until I left to return to France a little over a week ago; I often said:
"I might as well be in France!"
Before I left, I realized that I was wrong. No matter how much I love being here in Cadrieu and how well we may or may not be connected from here; there are just some things that no matter how hard I try, I will not be able to do from France.
Those things include people who I've come to call my "Pandemic Pals!" These are the people who I was able to see regularly for some kind of distancing event.
Whether it was drinks on the porch with Eric and Louie, lunch on the swings in City Park with Pat and Jane, coffees in the yard with Ron, and of course...Steve, Barbara, Julianna, John, Gary, and Ellen. These are not things I can do from France.
It meant so much to me that these friends often went out of their way to come to me and spend time together. Two told me that the only time they took their cars out was to drive over to Columbus Street. I was honored.
So you see, I was wrong.
If I had been in France, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy this quality time with friends.
Now that I'm here, we're connected and in touch, but no...I won't be seeing them again any time soon.
When I bought the Chatette back in 2002, people would ask me how was a person as social as I am, going to be able to survive in a little village of 135 people?
I'd say: "I can have as much or as little of people as I want!"
You see, these days, that is no longer true.
With Covid-19, we no longer have control over how much or how little we see the people we love and cherish. We do our best, but I believe that this fact is going to lead to long term changes for how we all live our lives.
Happy Monday!
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