Pandemic Bubble

The sun was shining when we got into the car. We were stepping outside of our bubble into a surreal world. I am full of uncertainty as the world begins to open up. Is it safe to go out into public yet? Should we wear masks and gloves? Do we need to take showers afterward? The news is full of grief, outrage, and sadness with riots across the nation. Today is the second “Black Lives Matter” demonstration in my Michigan hometown. The crowd is organized and peacefully chanting as they make their way to the Mall. Some people are wearing masks and the crowd is too close together for comfort. 

Restaurants and playgrounds are opening up to the public in our area of  Michigan. We went to a restaurant, a grocery store, and drove by the city park. There were more families at the park than I have ever seen before. The city has unwrapped the plastic around the playground. Children were climbing onto the jungle gym and were happily swinging away. The last time we dined in a restaurant was over two months ago at a British Pub in Thailand, but that is another story. 

After parking across the street, we walked into a familiar restaurant. Some people were sitting at outside tables eating burgers. The waitress had no face mask or gloves on. We kept our face masks on until the food came. I looked around and the restaurant wasn’t even half full. I nervously ordered and looked out the window. I placed my silverware on a napkin so that table surface germs wouldn’t touch them. We made small talk and watched the children play outside. Then our food arrived and looked just like our meal last summer. It seems so long ago in another universe. I nervously smiled and opened each plastic topping container. I sprinkled the brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and bananas on top of my bowl of oatmeal. It tasted better than ever. My husband asked if I wanted the sliced pickles from his Reuben sandwich. I declined due to the fact that a bare hand may have placed them on the plate. I didn’t need more germs in my life.. 

I am germophobic and this lunch stressed me out. I was trying to take deep breaths, exhale, and pretend it was just another lunch. Not! It was a unique moment in the pandemic worldwide. We are going to have to find our way to a new normal, and not go backward. We can’t expect the world as we know it to return. Will stores reopen? Will schools open in September? Will we return to the gym? What about movie theaters? What can we do to pave the way to our future?

When I go outside, I feel like a pressure cooker ready to explode. Is it true the germs are airborne? I try to meditate every morning to start on a positive note. I listen to calm music, collect inspirational quotes and read self-help books. I am trying so hard to be a relaxed person that I stress myself out remembering all the strategies. I spend time daily watching motivational YouTube videos. writing, calling my grandchildren, and sending my children positive emails. Life goes on in this pandemic. I have experienced the circle of life with a birth and a death in my family during this past month. The pandemic stops for no one. It lingers outside our vision and reminds us to enjoy each moment every day. Stepping outside of our pandemic bubble will cause us to appreciate what we have in our daily lives now.