With various states lifting the sheltering in place orders as well as people outright defying the orders I find myself relaxing also.

Maybe this relaxing of my rules has nothing to do with the above and all to do with just plain being tired and frustrated with the confines of living by the rules of physical distancing, of missing seeing my friends and family up close and personal.

Thoughts of “Oh, just go ahead and order take out,” or “just go ahead and go to Costco,” are creeping into my head.

Yesterday was my husband’s birthday.  Family and two friends did a drive by honking parade AND what did I do? I ran out and invited everyone into the back yard for a get together. WHAT WAS I THINKING? 

They all came, all 14. I will qualify it is a big yard and we were far apart. I served nothing, no one came in to use the bathroom, and it was a very short visit. We distanced, talked, and when it was time to leave gave “distance hugs” with our arms out mimicking the hugs we would like to have given but didn’t. It was wonderful! I am teary now even as I think about it BUT in hindsight I regret that I did it. As much as I loved it, I’m not sure it was a smart thing to do, not yet. 


There will come a time (at least for a while, a long while) when this is how get togethers will be—with distance and masks and outside, but not yet. We are still too fragile, still not testing everyone, operative word “everyone” (not just the ones with symptoms).

As much as we long for human contact, for social exchange other than phone or Zoom, it is not time yet. We are actually jeopardizing how quickly we can reconnect, can return to some semblance of socializing, by jumping the gun and having contact too soon.

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