I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling a bit uninspired lately. I think partially, it’s always something that happens for me this time of year… I’m such a summer person that I get sad when I can feel it coming to an end. But this year, things feel like they’re on a whole different scale.
While it felt strange to not take any trips or vacations this year, on the whole, the summer felt like a bit of a reprieve from the pandemic. Even though I still am staying at home, the ability to just spend a lot of time outside and feel that fresh air kept me from feeling like I am “trapped” in my house. Being able to work outside, eat outside, read outside… it all made things feel much less claustrophobic. Plus, I had a few (very) socially distanced yard visits, and it was unbelievably nice to see people that I don’t live with.
But all I can think about – and all that I try to stop thinking about – is what the winter is going to be like, and how I’m going to find a way to cope. We had a fairly mild winter last year, and by March when the pandemic hit here, there were already more days than not that I could spend at least some time outside. But I know that won’t be the case for this whole winter, and I’m trying to figure out how to get ready for that, mentally.
It feels like the last 6 months have been filled with ebbs and flows – days where things don’t seem so awful, and days where it seems like things can’t possibly continue the way that they have been. On the whole, I feel like I’ve been dealing with everything pretty well… but then a tiny part of me wonders if this means that the other shoe is going to drop at some point, so to speak.
I just keep reminding myself that the pandemic (or any huge life disruption, really) is bound to have highs and lows… and to focus on enjoying the highs while they’re happening, rather than worrying about when the lows are going to come. Since I’m thinking about all of this right now, I thought maybe some of you might be, too. It seemed like the right time to check in with all of you.
How are you all doing? Anyone else feeling like I am?
