I’ve had to look in a few metaphorical mirrors recently, and it hasn’t been the most comfortable experience, to be honest. I actually dislike regular mirrors. I’ve never been someone who pays much attention to how they look. I tend to make sure there isn’t anything awful in my teeth, that my hair isn’t standing on end (never a guarantee) and then I figure I’m good.

I don’t have a quote for this one… but I do have a lot of random thoughts in my head. Things I’d share with a roommate / significant other, you know, if I had one living with me.

And that brings me to the first random thought, actually.
1. I’m not a very touchy-feely person. At all. I don’t know (or remember, if I’ve ever done the test) my love language, but I can tell you without question that it is not physical touch. I don’t mind a good hug – but only from certain people. I don’t crave physical contact, as a general rule.

But.

I’ve been self-isolating (and isolated, honestly) since March 13. It’s now June 12. I think we can all do the math… three months, without another person I know well anywhere near me. I haven’t shared my space – and I am grateful for that, honestly. But even I am starting to think that, you know? It would be nice to get a hug. The problem? I’m also struggling with a lot of anxiety around doing more, getting out more, seeing people. I know I’m going to need to start small, but even breaking out of my current routine to go to a store that’s not an essential store is really hard (I still haven’t done it). I should probably just rip the band aid off and do it.

It makes me wonder what I will do when and if I am able to see my mother in law, or my spouse. I have a feeling it’s going to be a rather anxiety provoking moment for me.

Which relates to…

2. I took the enneagram test, which I know is a more popular “personality” test these days. Recommended by my therapist (it’s a long story). I haven’t read the details, but I think I’m primarily a 6? And maybe a 1? Anyway -the key word that keeps jumping out at me for one of my types is the word “anxious”. And yes, that would be me. I’m interested to see how it frames that anxiety, though. Is it something I can use to grow? I certainly hope so.

3. I have new upstairs neighbors.
They are noisy.
I am not happy.
I don’t know what they are rolling across the floor, but it’s LOUD and they were doing it at 12:30 am. As in, half an hour after midnight.
They also stomp.
I’ve been patient, but they’ve been here 2 weeks now. Time to settle down and get some freaking rugs. I plan on saying something to the apartment manager today. Sigh.
Yes, I’m “that” tenant, apparently.

4. There is a car packed with random stuff – looks like someone is moving? – that has been parked outside my apartment for the last 3 weeks. I cannot figure it out.

5. My niece graduates from high school today. Virtually. Which means that, for once, I can actually participate in one of her milestone events. What sucks is that her senior year has, well, completely sucked. She’s amazing, though – has been baking up a storm and really impressing the heck out of all of us with her patience and ability to just roll with it. I am so insanely proud of her – and I cannot believe she is heading to college next year. I don’t have kids of my own, and I just love seeing how she and her brother have matured into really excellent people. It makes me so hopeful for the future.

And that seems to be the end of my random thoughts…

I know this is making the rounds, but it resonated with me and maybe it will with you, too…

I am heartsick, heartbroken, anguished, angry, devastated, scared… so many emotions, for so many reasons, that it feels as though my spirit is sinking beneath the weight of… everything.

A man murdered in the street for the color of his skin.
A “leader” (I cannot figure out how to refer to our non-President in any other way…) who stokes anger and division.
Elected officials who refuse to listen.
The anguished, angry, cries of people who have endured too much for too long… people who have led lives that I will never, ever be able to understand.
I don’t share their experiences.
I don’t know what their lives are like.
I know only my privileged, white, hetero existence in a world that accepts me as I am but refuses to do the same for them.
I know I need to learn. I know I’m probably saying the wrong things.
But I want to know more. I want to be better.
I need to know more. I need to be better.

The hardest part? Not having anyone to share this process with.
I can’t talk to my parents about it- it might as well not be happening.
I can’t talk to my spouse about it – he’s not in the same place as I am, a place of learning and openness. He rests in his privilege, and makes statements that I fully disagree with, that make me realize I cannot share openly with him.
I can’t talk to my friends about it – as many of them do not share my views.

So I’ll start this journey on my own. Perhaps I’ll find others on similar journeys along the way. But it needs to happen.

“Stay angry, little Meg,” Mrs Whatsit whispered. “You will need all your anger now.”

I’ve had a really difficult time since the Supreme Court in our state struck down the safer-at-home order that was, well, keeping us all safer at home.

I’ve been frustrated and, quite frankly, angry at the people (I’m trying to be kind here) who are protesting such measures in my city.

I’m even more frustrated by people who won’t take the simple step of protecting others by keeping their distance and wearing masks.

You’re not doing these things just for yourself – you’re doing them for other people, too.

And as my frustration and anger built and grew, I realized that I needed to do something to shift my mindset. Because this was not healthy for me.

So I’ve been trying to cultivate compassion and understanding.

I spent some time yesterday reading poetry and other writings on compassion. One of the most striking and compelling was Maria Shriver’s post in her Sunday Paper. (If you don’t subscribe, I recommend it – just Google it. She writes something insightful and interesting and compelling every week, and I find myself agreeing with her more often than not…)

I can’t find the text to link to, specifically, but yesterday, she wrote:

“So maybe as we reflect on this long weekend, we can each remember that while we have gone through this pandemic together, we have all had very different experiences. Some have lost their lives or their livelihoods. Others have lost hope. Some are remembering loved ones who lost their lives in a war defending our freedoms. Others are just trying to get back to work so they can put food on the table for their families.

This may be the start of summer, but it’s an uncertain time for just about everyone I speak to, myself included. In fact, it’s a fragile time for so many. So, let’s be gentle with one another. We don’t really know what people have gone through these past few months. We don’t know if that person walking next to us is a Gold Star mom or dad or sibling, or the family member of a health care worker who lost their life keeping us safe.

This weekend let’s try to celebrate one another. Let’s seek to get to know one another. Let’s ask each other how the last few months have been and let others know we are here for them—not just this weekend, but for the long haul as well.

After all, what makes us the country we are is our humanity, our empathy, our kindness, and our effort to understand the other—regardless of whether they have the same opinion about opening up or wearing a mask as we do. If we can try to express gratitude for what we have, who we are, and what we can be as a nation, then we will have a memorable summer. Now won’t that be something to celebrate.”