By March 2020, Covid-19 began to spread rapidly and aggressively around the world. In New England, where I live, in-person events evaporated and life ground to a halt in the middle of the month. The next few months were tense and difficult.
An everyday errand like going to the supermarket was suddenly a bit frightening. Not just because being around people might mean exposure to a potentially deadly disease but also because many food and household items were in short supply or completely gone from store shelves. The photo at top shows toilet paper and paper towel shelves partially stocked, months into the pandemic. Eerily empty streets for weeks. No traffic reports on radio or TV because no traffic.
Never had I ever heard about Zoom and yet within weeks of the shutdowns, I was using it to participate in a book club, genealogy meetings, and family conversations. Weeks into the pandemic, the calendar remained empty except for Zoom dates and important medical appointments.
Several times, I threaded my sewing machine and stitched face masks. I learned to cut hair at home. Investigated various streaming services for viewing variety. Hubby and Sis and I walked with friends and neighbors on nice days, observing social distancing guidelines. We also formed pods with folks we knew well, gathering indoors with doors/windows wide open to paint rocks, play games, celebrate holidays and birthdays. For treats, we ordered specialty foods to be delivered from Zabars and other places.
Our community organized outdoor concerts that were well attended and much appreciated. We watched the family commencement ceremonies on YouTube and clapped when our graduates received their diplomas. In short, we found moments of good news and contentment amid all the uncertainty and sadness.
The very instant a vaccine was available, hubby and I and Sis booked appointments and were grateful to do so. We continue to keep our boosters updated. Looking back, I feel saddened that I can never get back the time lost but I also have a very deep appreciation for how fortunate my family and I have been. These days, our pantry is always filled with food and paper products just in case! And thanks to Zoom, family conversations, cultural programs, and genealogy presentations are now only a few clicks away.
How do you remember your pandemic experience in 2020? Please write it down for yourself and for your descendants.
Five years have gone by so quickly. Your photo of the store shelf is my exact memory of my last market trip until post-pandemic. We, too, keep good supplies of everything on hand at home. Once people started buying online, it became an on-going joke in the house - will it actually arrive or not? Glad those days are behind us.
ReplyDelete