{"id":6079,"date":"2020-06-08T07:40:57","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T11:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.silvercentury.org\/?p=6079"},"modified":"2020-06-08T07:40:57","modified_gmt":"2020-06-08T11:40:57","slug":"remembering-life-in-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/78.142.243.82\/~silvercentury\/2020\/06\/remembering-life-in-lockdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Life in Lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

I hope people living in the time of the coronavirus are journaling about their quarantine. Our memories are often distorted by time, and our memories are singularly ours to recall. <\/span><\/p>\n

What will my grandchildren want to know about this unprecedented time? In my journal, I\u2019d write that I\u2019m among the very fortunate right now. I\u2019m healthy and so are my loved ones. If everyone over 60 is at a higher risk, count me in; ditto for anyone compromised by underlying health issues, as I\u2019m carrying excess weight that I cannot attribute to quarantine. Medically speaking, I\u2019m in good health; I have no chronic conditions and a remarkable immune system. I\u2019m not denying my age as much as that I don\u2019t feel like someone who is high risk. I\u2019m a susceptibility denier.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

My future grands might wonder who I’m quarantined with. I\u2019m sheltering in place with my daughter, Nelle, who was sent home from college early. I\u2019ve come to love my empty nest, but Nelle is good company and we both value our solitude, so it\u2019s working out. I can\u2019t speak for her, but I\u2019m loving this time together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Did I lose my job? No, my work for Silver Century entails reading and writing about aging, which I do from home. My other work is caring for older adults who need a little support to stay in their homes. I have clients counting on my help to navigate the lockdown remotely, like with a little shopping or a car repair. I also have uncompensated but challenging work for the school board. Nelle\u2019s college classes take place in the home office now, but we easily reconcile shared space. <\/span><\/p>\n

What do we do for fun since restaurants and movie theaters are closed? Nelle and I do jigsaw puzzles, play board games and try to remember rules to childhood card games. The best enhancement to the quarantine has been the absolutely glorious weather we\u2019ve had in New Jersey. Our house has a wraparound porch that never translated to the repose and enjoyment one imagines. We\u2019ve gotten more mileage out of that porch in lockdown than in all the other years put together. It feels like time stands still out there. And we walk the dog. <\/span><\/p>\n

We talk to my older daughter, Mariefred, who lives in Baltimore with a roommate, Daysi. They both telecommute to full-time jobs, but their part-time restaurant jobs shut down. Both young women are separated from family and, maybe harder, boyfriends. My daughter is considering hiring a rental car when that\u2019s a possibility\u2014public transportation is too risky for visits home or to her boyfriend. She worries she\u2019ll be putting me, or those in my care, at risk if she comes home, and interstate travel is ill-advised right now anyway. I can\u2019t be with her. It\u2019s hard. <\/span><\/p>\n

If I wanted those future grandchildren to know how I survived the pandemic without losing hope, I\u2019d want them to have this advice: stay connected, find joy in the simple things, get outside and keep mind and body active.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I hope people living in the time of the coronavirus are journaling about their quarantine. Our memories are often distorted by time, and our memories are singularly ours to recall.  What will my grandchildren want to know about this unprecedented…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Remembering Life in Lockdown<\/span> ›<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

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