I woke up this morning, day 61 of our #StayHome #SaveLives life in home sweet home, I realized that my mantra of getting up every day and getting through the day has been filled with projects, social media, scrolling, and an occasional outside project so that I can enjoy my beautiful backyard. I've been successful, somewhat, but then I think back on what has happened since February 29th, I realize that this major global crisis hasn't changed my regular routine.
- Keeping busy and finding things to amuse me
- Finding little things to do (like ordering things on-line
- Procrastination
- Opining on Facebook
- Going to meetings through Zoom
- Little connection with my kids
- Tons of connection with my hubby
- Care of my aging cat
- Worrying about the little things (like a ding in my bathtub that I haven't refinished for 3 months.
- Powerwashing the deck
- Planting vegetables in the garden (and the list goes on)
When I last posted here, it was November 2019. Before that is was November 2017...a WHOLE Year of "Keeping busy and finding things to amuse me".
Then I realized my promise back in November, that I would pay attention to my writing. How have I done so far....let's go to procrastination...the number 3 on my list. Here's what I have noticed: I am a terrible extrovert, I love being this introvert and finally have embraced it. I love staying home. Since 2015 I have been in the political arena of trying to make our country better. For all of us. Most importantly was to get women elected into the political spectrum. So I helped. I organized. I educated. I socialized. I made a ton of friends - our tribe of women who sit in the same bubble as me. We have life experiences, some age differences, but we know that what happened in the 2016 election was a devastating blow to women who we have been helping get into leadership roles. It's been a rough 3 years my friends, and we are tired. And now this...COVID-19 - the cause for this pause.
Then I realized my promise back in November, that I would pay attention to my writing. How have I done so far....let's go to procrastination...the number 3 on my list. Here's what I have noticed: I am a terrible extrovert, I love being this introvert and finally have embraced it. I love staying home. Since 2015 I have been in the political arena of trying to make our country better. For all of us. Most importantly was to get women elected into the political spectrum. So I helped. I organized. I educated. I socialized. I made a ton of friends - our tribe of women who sit in the same bubble as me. We have life experiences, some age differences, but we know that what happened in the 2016 election was a devastating blow to women who we have been helping get into leadership roles. It's been a rough 3 years my friends, and we are tired. And now this...COVID-19 - the cause for this pause.
That image is scary looking, isn't it? The world is not the same. People are dying. The media is in a vicious loop trying to come up with the best by-line to catch our attention. Anarchy Opportunists are baiting and promoting their opinions in each bubble of groups that believe it's a conspiracy. Or China did it on purpose? Or God is speaking to us and the end is near? Sound suspicious, right? Right! So here is my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.
Looking back to the onslaught of politics in the United States (and across the globe), so many "populist" leaders have been elected by people who are quick to throw away their common sense for a quick fix. The power of citizenry has been stripped away and everyone wants to blame the other guy for taking more than they need.
If you follow that line, we are doomed. I believe that this will be for the better. In examining my Grandmother Bessie 100 years ago, she was impacted terribly with the Spanish Flu. A young wife, with 3 children under the age of 5, and her husband dies from the Flu. Today's story line show from that data that many women and men that have lost their partners and loved ones in just these last 3 months. As of today 64,324 people have died of this virus since January in the United States. Over 1 Million citizens in the United States have been tested, and this is just the first wave. Globally over 6.3 Million people have tested positive. There is no antivirus, yet.
So how did Bessie Irene Primrose Wagers deal with her grief, back in 1918? How did she manage without a career, no childcare, and no property? Her late husband's father-in-law allowed her to manage a boarding home in Elkhorn, California (near Lodi) when her husband died. He told her that she could manage it and collect the rents for income. He didn't tell her that it had been a "house of ill repute". I laugh at this, because when my mother told me this story in front of my grandmother, my mother laughed. My grandmother got flustered at those words. I then asked my mother what that meant. Seriously, I was only 12 years old. So both my mother and grandmother explained what a Whorehouse was (delicately, of course). Then they changed the story somewhat and said to me that it was important that I find a skill or job after high school so that I can always take care of myself if my husband died. Muse over that for awhile......
That advice stuck with me at a young age, and I have always managed to make it through the trials and tribulations of taking care of me and those around me. So Grandma Bessie is strong in my mind at this time. I remember finding the records of her first husband, Clarence Wagers dying in Portland, and his body sent to Lodi for burial. She managed a house and changed it from a Whorehouse to a boarding house while raising 3 babies under the age of 5. She rented a room to a young couple, who's brother came to visit; he met my Grandmother and her 3 young children, married her and they had two more...one was my mother. I imparted that story to my own granddaughter Haley several weeks ago. If Clarence had not died, my grandmother probably wouldn't have had my mom, who had me, who had my daughter, who had her. It gave her something to think about. Done in fun...but think about it.
There is always a silver lining to chaos. I hope it shows up soon, for the others. I feel their frustration, but right now, I'm very happy with this isolation. I have more time to reflect about what will be, ponder more writing, delve more into Ancestry, and perhaps finish my Grandmother's story. I LOVE doing Zoom meetings with my political friends, and my responsibilities as a EID Board member...that, too is digital. Just my style. Until then...."everything is always working out for me" ...quote by Abraham-Hicks (Esther Hicks). It is working out...we just have to be patient.
In the meantime, Namaske!
Looking back to the onslaught of politics in the United States (and across the globe), so many "populist" leaders have been elected by people who are quick to throw away their common sense for a quick fix. The power of citizenry has been stripped away and everyone wants to blame the other guy for taking more than they need.
If you follow that line, we are doomed. I believe that this will be for the better. In examining my Grandmother Bessie 100 years ago, she was impacted terribly with the Spanish Flu. A young wife, with 3 children under the age of 5, and her husband dies from the Flu. Today's story line show from that data that many women and men that have lost their partners and loved ones in just these last 3 months. As of today 64,324 people have died of this virus since January in the United States. Over 1 Million citizens in the United States have been tested, and this is just the first wave. Globally over 6.3 Million people have tested positive. There is no antivirus, yet.
So how did Bessie Irene Primrose Wagers deal with her grief, back in 1918? How did she manage without a career, no childcare, and no property? Her late husband's father-in-law allowed her to manage a boarding home in Elkhorn, California (near Lodi) when her husband died. He told her that she could manage it and collect the rents for income. He didn't tell her that it had been a "house of ill repute". I laugh at this, because when my mother told me this story in front of my grandmother, my mother laughed. My grandmother got flustered at those words. I then asked my mother what that meant. Seriously, I was only 12 years old. So both my mother and grandmother explained what a Whorehouse was (delicately, of course). Then they changed the story somewhat and said to me that it was important that I find a skill or job after high school so that I can always take care of myself if my husband died. Muse over that for awhile......
That advice stuck with me at a young age, and I have always managed to make it through the trials and tribulations of taking care of me and those around me. So Grandma Bessie is strong in my mind at this time. I remember finding the records of her first husband, Clarence Wagers dying in Portland, and his body sent to Lodi for burial. She managed a house and changed it from a Whorehouse to a boarding house while raising 3 babies under the age of 5. She rented a room to a young couple, who's brother came to visit; he met my Grandmother and her 3 young children, married her and they had two more...one was my mother. I imparted that story to my own granddaughter Haley several weeks ago. If Clarence had not died, my grandmother probably wouldn't have had my mom, who had me, who had my daughter, who had her. It gave her something to think about. Done in fun...but think about it.
There is always a silver lining to chaos. I hope it shows up soon, for the others. I feel their frustration, but right now, I'm very happy with this isolation. I have more time to reflect about what will be, ponder more writing, delve more into Ancestry, and perhaps finish my Grandmother's story. I LOVE doing Zoom meetings with my political friends, and my responsibilities as a EID Board member...that, too is digital. Just my style. Until then...."everything is always working out for me" ...quote by Abraham-Hicks (Esther Hicks). It is working out...we just have to be patient.
In the meantime, Namaske!
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