Thursday, April 30, 2020

Our Present Reality

Wednesday is grocery store day for the Deaton Household. I am the designated grocery store goer. Yesterday, as I was leaving the store, I saw a man standing in a parking spot beside a riding lawn mower. It quickly became clear that the lawn mower was the man’s source of transportation. I thought his choice of transportation was sort of odd, but I’d seen someone arrive at the grocery store on a lawn mower before.

What really got me was that the man was standing in the parking lot, beside his lawn mower, mask on face, putting on his latex gloves. It took him a few minutes to get the gloves on, but once he got them, he headed into the grocery store, making sure to enter the side that said “Entrance Only…”

Last night, I went downstairs to help cook supper. My mom and I have been cooking supper almost every night. I asked her what she was making and she replied, “German Potato Salad.” She’d found a recipe, thought it sounded good, and decided to make it. She’s been trying lots of new (old) recipes lately…

This morning, my dad called me downstairs to help him with something. For the past couple of weeks, I’d been getting him into his Thursday Morning Coffee Group Zoom Meetings. He thought he needed my help again, but instead, I just stood there while he got himself into his meeting and talked with a bunch of men aged 70 and older…

This afternoon, I went to art class. We drew a fox. I’ve been going to art class every week since the pandemic hit. I’m collecting a nice little portfolio. I never get to go to art class when I’m working…

After art class, I recorded a video for my students. I posted it…

All of these things are personal signs of the times in which we are living: People riding lawnmowers to the grocery store and putting on personal protective gear before entering a store with traffic rules. My mom trying new recipes almost every meal. My dad, the technological dinosaur, Zooming on his own. Me actually being able to see some of my colleagues teach and being allowed to participate for fun. Me teaching virtually…

Whether we like it or not, most of us are surrounded by “new” things these days. Some may be good. Others may be not so good. But new realities are all around.

What are your new realities? What are your personal signs of the times? What are the things you are seeing that you didn’t think possible? I’d love to hear. And maybe by sharing, we will be reminded that we’re all in this together.

No comments:

Post a Comment