Same and Different

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On A Fall Walk From 2018

Dear Readers,

Living life with Covid is somewhat the same, and somewhat different for Mr. UT and me. Because we had both been retired, we were used to being together for long stretches of time, and still liking each other! We have retirement funds, health care, a place to live, cars, and our health.

We wear our masks in any indoor places, or outdoors if we are close to others. We don’t, and won’t, eat inside restaurants yet. I haven’t visited my family in other states yet. It’s different not hugging people I love. I am getting used to it, but I miss it.

But these are little things. With all the people who lost jobs, have no money, are homless, whose homes burned up in fires, the children who are suffering not being able to go to school, with the hate I see because of our politics, I weep. So much hate. It hurts my heart.

The problems I see are so big, and out of my control, yet they linger in me. How can they not? I wish with all my heart and might we would see each other with common humanity.

I had to turn off all news. I no longer can watch. I told Mr. UT I can watch a short local news program, as long as it’s not too late. Watching the news made my anxiety sky rocket. I can read a bit in the morning. Limiting my watching and reading has really helped.

And so I walk, take yoga classes, write, and volunteer. I think it is important to stay more postive so that I keep other people I see, including our little family of two, happier.

With a prayer for peace,

On Day 2209,

Wendy

Published by Untipsyteacher

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27 thoughts on “Same and Different”

  1. Excellent advice, Wendy. I finally deleted my Facebook account for similar reasons. So much conflict and uncertainty out there, and it feels like we can’t do much about it, other than “tend our own gardens” and spread love where we can in our own small ways. Thank you for spreading the love with every post!

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    1. I won’t stick my head in the sand, and if I feel as if there is something I can really do to support what I beileve, then I will.
      But watching the same anger day after day, only makes me angry. It doesn’t help change anything.
      And so, this has been the best.
      Thank you, Julie!
      xo

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  2. I know the news distresses me, but I can’t let it go. I feel like I need to know, even though I am often also saddened by the behaviour of people. It so disappointing and confrontational and harsh.

    Canada is somewhat better…but we still have controversy and anger here.

    I know there are many good people out there who believe in compassion and love, like you and I do. I know we will prevail.

    Hugs and love to you
    Anne

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  3. Oh I am so with you Wendy. I want to be up to date with what’s happening but I have to be mindful of too much information and the impact it can have. I have also noticed that too much information and discussion around my teenage boys is not helpful for them either. It’s just constant. I’m trying to talk about positives and what we will do in the future. I’m taking with them more about compassion and kindness. Trying to use this time to build those values for them and focus on the humanity and the good in people. It is there, we just need to keep tapping into it.
    Sending hugs to you across the seas 😘🤗💕

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  5. And those darn political ads! It’s always gets my blood flowing and I would have more respect a candidate if they stopped viscously attacking another. Like you said as far as COVID we told our girls we just have to keep doing what we are doing. Might be small, but it’s how we can help the spread right now. Always love your posts Wendy! It’s going to be a beautiful sunny day here in CNY, high of 70. ☀️ 😁

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  6. Yep, I’m with you. I had to scale way back on how much news I read. You’re doing what you can to put some love back in the world. You are the kind of news the world needs more of 😘

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  7. I think it’s super helpful to turn off, or nearly turn completely off, the news. There’s this unbroken sense in the white middle class news culture that things are terrible, things are more terrible than they’ve ever been, things could not be more terrible (i.e., we’re at peak possible terribleness), the world as we know it is ending, and life before COVID and Trump and George Floyd was perfect and stress- and death-free. Our collective life turned from idyllic to infinitely terrible in one year. Not true. Good news! Life was terrible before! 135,000 people die every year from just lung cancer! (Sorry if the joke’s not funny, but really.) I haven’t yet found the right way of saying this that doesn’t seem to imply “get over it and just be complacent,” and that is so not what I mean. But I am sort of astonished at the news culture these days. I think it’s good to stay minimally informed (“honey, let me know when he picks a VP”) and otherwise get outside, try to stay balanced, help in whatever myriad ways a person can. Sending you love! (I’m now in Mpls and enjoying this glorious fall weather!)

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    1. Oh! It’s so warm here now! It’s glorious! We went golfing for 18 holes yesterday!
      I told my friends that my grandparents lived through way harder times. So did my mom for half of her life!
      It’s so true about life. And humans, unfortunately, will always be mean to each other.
      Yes, minimally informed is a good way to put it!
      xo

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  8. Wendy, I agree with you!! I had to stop watching the news, and logging into social media so often because the news is just depressing. Now I only read it when I want to know what’s going on. Just enough to stay informed. It’s so sad this world we live in, and it’s quite scary. Wishing you all the best.

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  10. I feel this so much too – that even though it’s out of my control (besides my own behaviors) there’s like this gnawing global grief in me and need to DO something – but I can’t do anything. 😦 Let me know if you find some way of addressing all this!

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    1. All I can figure out are little things.
      Vote, give money to food shelves, make kits with Naloxone, help my neighbors.
      Be kind. Sometimes I think of the angry people I see on SM and try to think, maybe they just lost their job, or they got a divorce.
      Or they just snapped.
      Thank you!
      xo

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