A Small Silver Lining...

 Everyone knows 2020 SUCKS. I don't have to remind anyone of all that went wrong: death and suffering from the virus, being practically locked up in our homes, kids spending their first and last years of college stuck in their dorms, weddings and other family celebrations cancelled, restaurants and other businesses closed- some for good, and increases in depression, domestic and drug abuse... The list goes on. 

In the Christian tradition, the 4 Sundays before Christmas are celebrated as Advent- a time to prepare for Christmas. Each week has a theme and marked with lighting a candle. It's similar to the Hanukkah menorah and the Kwanza kinara. The four candles represent hope, love, joy, and peace. For the third Sunday, the theme is Joy.

Photo by Bastian Riccardi from Pexels

JOY?? 

Yes. We are instructed to find Joy amidst all the trouble in the world and our lives. There are moments that we must cherish to find a relief from all that has gone wrong this year. Here's where I find joy:

My nephew graduated high school and started college.

My niece had a beautiful baby girl.

We found inventive ways to stay connected through Zoom and other social media, even getting together in backyards at a safe distance. 

Families are spending more time together.

The elections are over.

Animal shelters have been emptied because of pet adoptions.

Pharmacuetical companies rolled out vaccines in unheard of speeds.

Although they may be hard to find, I know there are other joys. And that's what I want and need to focus on. With a new year coming soon, I feel hopeful. 

Wishing you all a holiday of peace, love, hope- and joy.

Char 

Just... Breathe....

Behind your mask, six feet from everyone, in your home. Play video games, go to school online, Zoom conference with family and friends. Order necessities to be delivered. Put together puzzles, color rainbows for the window, post Thank You notes for essential workers.

We've done it all, and frankly most of us are getting cabin fever, sick of being corralled. (This is NOT a political rant against the #StayHome orders from federal and state governments.). Add to that days of rain and clouds and a reversion to cold weather, and a lot of us are ready to scream at the moon- or those with whom we're locked in. We want open spaces...

So here: a few pictures of just calm, peaceful scenes from both my yard and from Pexels Inc. May it bring your stress level down and help you get through another day, even a few hours of this pandemic as we wait for our lives to return to a partial semblance of what was our normal:

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Photo courtesy of Pexels 

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Just know that I'm sending a warm hug to you all- we will get there because "This too, shall pass..." 

Char

Day 2 million and..? Who Knows How Long...

No more insults.

The boys are officially tired of the poetic insults on the fridge game. After... how many days? in #StayHome. I can't blame them. The game might have been more fun if there were more variety. Whoever selected the words clearly was NOT a writer- there were few adjectives, NO adverbs (I don't care what anybody says, adverbs are essential), and no pronouns. Verbs and nouns were seriously limited. I could have added some words, making them out of the fridge magnets from the dentist, the appliance repair guy, the old school numbers one, etc. But I think the time has come for something new.

As this isolation drags on (I'm not questioning the need for it, only lamenting how long), a lot of us are realizing that you can only read so many books, only write so many words (my butt gets tired from sitting so long), only watch so much TV. For some people, this is wonderful (my introvert friends are living la vida loca). But even though I'm not a wild party gal, I'm beginning to feel the strain. This means I need to find different ways to spend the time. Every day, I try to complete something on a list that I constantly update. Today I have two things already accomplished: I've posted on the Kidlit Authors Club social media, thanking library workers, and I'm writing this blog. Before I start on going over where I can possibly submit manuscripts while my agent isn't feeling well, I'm going to make the bed, put away the dishes, and then go outside for a bit. I'm sure I can find a few weeds to pull, clean up the sticks all over the yard, etc. I find I feel less restless, less anxious, if I break up the monotony and do a variety of things. We all need coping mechanisms and finding new ones as the others lose their luster.

I hope this post finds you well and safe. And boy is there going to be one big fat celebration (I foresee a pool party, ice cream from my favorite place, Polar Cub, and LOTS of pina coladas around the pool bar with friends and family) when this is over.

Till then, be seeing you- via Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, from across the street, etc.

Char