Stay well. Dress well. Enjoy the NOW…if you read my blog you know that since March I have been ending each post with these words…but what does ‘enjoy the now’ really mean? Here’s my perspective…

Before the pandemic I traveled for work on a regular basis, to Connecticut, New Jersey, Manhattan…sometimes by plane, usually on the train, in a hotel one or two nights a week…yes, that can be tiring, but I mostly saw it as interesting and exciting, especially when visiting NYC. As for vacationing, that was also on a regular basis, whether for long weekends away or a week in the Caribbean – always so much fun!

Do I miss it all? Yes and no. Hubby and I have been fortunate to have visited some visually stunning places and we definitely look forward to traveling again – however – regardless of how upscale and/or beautiful a place is, the experience – speaking for us – has so much more to do with who you are with and the people you meet…we like the busy, crowded season and the energetic vibe that goes with that…whether it’s on the beach or at the bar, we always meet interesting people that become part of every trip’s fond memories….a ‘quiet and relaxing’ getaway? Never. So as for now, we’re screwed. 😉

Until we have vaccines, until we are past this totally unnatural world of masks, we will pass on significant travel…Some might say that we should still plan a trip because it’s good to have a ‘change of scenery’ – Ha! I say prison is a change of scenery too…a gorgeous, deserted beach would not feel much different to me.

But what about “enjoy the now”, you say? I am and we are – though in a very different way that ever before…the pic above (and below) was taken at sunrise on a recent Monday morning…previously I would have been at the gym or too busy getting ready for work to notice…with working from home, I have slower mornings and always take the time to look at the sky, the flowers/trees in our yard, the birds at the feeder…

Pandemic lesson: Sunrises and sunsets can be just as beautiful from your own backyard…no need to travel to enjoy them.

This may sound crazy, but I am really enjoying part of this slower life…spending more time in the kitchen, spending more time with my family, and trying a new hobby, a bit of gardening. The massive vine (morning glory) you see on the back of my garage was planted by yours truly this June. It started out at barely two inches tall and I thought for sure that it would die or get eaten by bunnies…as you can see from the above photo it did not die! That said, all summer long it did not bloom one single flower – once October came it had new flowers every day and was always fun to see how many…looking forward to what I might grow in the spring…

The pandemic has affected so many lives, whether emotionally, financially, health wise, or all of the above…even if we are fortunate to have our health and financial stability, this ‘pause on life’ can be disheartening at best – especially if you are a ‘mature’ adult. What does age have to do with it, you say?

Once you hit 60, you become much more aware of your mortality, and even more so if you are over 70, or over 80…so true, right? Now the pandemic hits and there is talk of it potentially lasting another six months, maybe another year, maybe more! Shit!!!

When you know that every day is a gift, when you know that life can change on a dime, you also know that in six months you could have a different problem to worry about – you could develop a health issue that affects your mobility, your appearance, your ability to drive, etc…in other words, when you are older and still in decent health, you want to take advantage of this and live life to the fullest – but – until we get through this pandemic, we must put many things on hold…

Pandemic lesson: Enjoy the now in whatever ways you can, because who knows what tomorrow brings.

All of us are facing this in different circumstances, and we all also have different ideas/preferences of what we consider fun. Some people do enjoy a relaxing vacation, while some may not enjoy traveling at all. You know by now that at the top of ‘enjoying the now’ for me is dressing well, taking care of my plants/flowers, and enjoying my family...here’s a new one: I am very much looking forward to snow this year, but not for a ski trip….for the first time ever, it will be beautiful just to look at it (or go for a walk in it) without worrying about road conditions or its interference with party and travel plans! 🙂

Please share your perspective!!! How are you coping – and especially, how are you enjoying the now?