In an effort to break up the monotony of staring at my computer screen for so many hours inside my own home, I go out for a daily – or twice daily – walk. My younger son has taught me, through his photography, that there is so much beauty to capture. So I’ve been capturing it myself – in my mind and on camera. Looking for silver linings.
When they were little, my boys (like most young children) had such a ‘joie de vivre’. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes can be life changing. A rainy day means puddles to jump into. And a leaf is so much more than just a leaf… like an acorn or a shiny rock, it’s a treasure of course.
I look for the beauty in nature around me. Each time I walk past the same garden I see it from a different perspective; I notice another flower, or a bee buzzing on the same flower, or raindrops creating a sparkle on the leaves… breaking up the monotony (routine is important, after all) and finding beauty in the mundane.
I do love the days when I’m staring at my computer screen and looking right back at me are the sweetest faces. Now that’s beauty. They show me their pets, their favorite toys, their cute toes and their hands – learning new signs every time. My young students – and my older ones (I appreciate the parents and my college students too!) – keep me feeling present, in the moment, focused and full of purpose.
Technology – love it or hate it – has kept us connected. Now I also ‘Zoom’ with my own kids while they’re away at college, with my parents and extended family, with friends and colleagues. It’s how I have meetings and participate in book clubs. It allows my schedule to be slightly less monotonous and mundane, as I have different classes or responsibilities each day. Different faces popping up on my screen. And while it doesn’t take the place of in-person interaction, it does decrease the isolation. There’s nowhere to go and no one to see, so I have to get out and I have to log on.
I may grieve my pre-Covid life but I’m grateful. Even for the monotony. I may wish I could walk in someone else’s shoes sometimes but I also wonder why I’ve been so lucky. “The grass is always green in a place we haven’t seen but we must learn how to be in the ‘here and now’.” – Me. So I’m reminding myself to stay present, to appreciate what I DO have, to find beauty even in the mundane. To those of you with whom I do connect – thank you for being there.