Today is a quiet Sunday morning and the sunlight from the south facing windows are streaming in. There’s a watering can filled with water at my feet and a cup of tea getting cold on the coffee table. I like starting my day this way because it helps distract me from the reality waiting outside me door.
Currently, I live in a place in New Jersey with a high number of COVID-19 cases. As of Friday, May 1, the City of Newark had about 5,715 positive cases. To me, it means that in a city with over 300,000 people the the virus is spreading around, so we’ll be under shelter in place orders for much longer. It means we will have to continue wearing face coverings outside, even though it it getting warmer. On the bright side, I’m learning that the wearing a mask outside in the height of spring means my seasonal allergies are not as severe.
I am still adjusting to sheltering in place even though this week 8. Honestly, who is really coping well with this stuff. For me, it took the pandemic for me to start writing on the blog again. I did not realize I had not made a post in almost two years. Eek! My poor neglected, blog. If it could talk, I do not think it would thrilled at the moment. Instead, I have been writing in short form over on my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. They tend to be easier formats to use and are instantly connected to other networks. However, there is a small part of me that fears those services going away and my content disappearing with it so I never cancelled my hosting of this blog. Also, it is a relief to own my name domain.
Perhaps, I will write more blog posts with this new found quiet time to reflect upon being cooped up in my apartment while the economy crumbles and the public health crisis ravages the communities around me. Or, I could write about how philanthropy is being called upon to respond to this crisis with an demonstrable racial justice frame. Writing about the large amount of black, indigenous and people of color being impacted by this virus could be an option. Maybe, I’ll share photos of the meals I cook or little container garden I have been maintaining to offer a bright spot in this moment.
Stay tuned.