Adjustments

The Covid-19 pandemic brought about a few changes in my life. Church moved totally online before returning to monthly in person worship out doors. Zoom compline services were added along with a zoom coffee hour. That was great, because I learned the names of other parishioners. I added Trinity Wall Street and Washington National Cathedral to my online services. My local parish offered drive through Eucharist and ashes to go in 2020. I practiced yoga on zoom which was better than nothing, but too easy to cheat if my camera was off. My yoga studio added air purifiers and reduced the number allowed in class and I was glad to return to in studio practice. My short story book club disbanded after trying to meet online in 2020. My Saturday morning women's meeting moved to zoom with an occasional in person lunch. Many women have relocated across the country so it just wouldn’t work to give up zoom now. That first year, I took my temperature every morning upon waking up. I no longer do that. Of course, I did get Covid from my granddaughter when she started preschool. I had been vaxxed and received the first booster when I tested positive in April 2022. I had to miss attending a wedding in Texas and did not test fully negative until day 17. However, that made me healthy and full of antibodies when my son got married at the end of April. I did accomplish some tasks during the lockdown that I’d been postponing. I sorted all my old photographs by year or subject. I went through all my old Christmas cards and saved the photo cards by year. I colored lots of mandalas and soaked my feet regularly in a foot spa. Those were positive habits I have not maintained. Perhaps when these 40 days of writing conclude, I will get out my markers and mandala coloring books again. I still follow a few female religious leaders and read or listen to their musings online. I listen to lots of podcasts, too, especially since I swapped my earbuds for Bluetooth eyeglasses. No more sore ear canals or misplaced AirPods for me.

— KathyV