The first week was a week of shock and chaos and also some excitement. Everything was new, none of us had ever seen such a situation before. We were all walking around with our eyebrows raised and question marks above our heads. My emergency shopping list was mostly about cans and tins and porridges. I rationed my library books and battled psychosomatic chest pains.
The second week was that of settling down. I finally got back to working mode. I'm currently translating-editing Church Manual because the last Estonian translation is way too old. It's a terrible job to be stuck with - I wouldn't want such a fate even to my enemy (not that I have any, of course). It's slow and tedious work but last week I really put my mind to it. The shock was over. On my shopping list there were maily fresh things, veggies and fruits. My dearly treasured library books retreated and gave way to Netflix (to Line of Duty, to be more precise). No chest pains.
The beginning of the third week has been sobering. There's no excitement left, it's more like, oh, dammit, this is our new reality now, this is going to last for a while. Everyone's nerves are strained, I realised that yesterday when we had long online-meetings. People are tired, people are touchy, people get offended where no offence is intended. Parents are stuck with their home-schooling kids and I hear from here and there that everyone is struggling, parents and kids alike. The Church Manual, thank heavens, has had to retreat and give way to Sabbath school prep, to sermons and radio programs. I went to a nearby grocery store early on Sunday morning and now Ben & Jerry's is ruling my life. Some might say I've deteriorated fast but I'm saying - one needs proper weapons to fight in a trench and to keep up one's spirits. Ice cream certainly is a trench war kind of food. This is strategy, you see! (even though it will require a lot of sweating in the gym afterwards) I'm fed up with Netflix so long evening walks are on the menu now. There are no chest pains but there are back pains because I don't have a proper office chair at home...
I wonder what the fourth week will bring us?
--
Last week I decided I needed some mental excercise to build my gratitude-muscles. They can become a little emaciated during a worldwide pandemic, let's be honest. So I started a list where I would write down all these things I can be grateful for while in quarantine. There are some 50+ things on that list now. I thought I'd share some with you, too.
blue sky
mint chocolate
fresh air
Netflix
friends who do my shopping for me
breakfast pancakes
sun raising earlier
sun setting later
free online concert hall of the Berliner Philharmoniker
ice cold showers
warm apartment
healthy lungs
books
online church services
audio Bible
auntie R. and her lentil casserole
evening walks
Tallinn Old Town, abandoned by tourists (a sight to behold)
A.
bread straight from the oven
candles
Arvo Pärt's music
prayer
migrating birds coming home
spotless and shiny bathroom
vitamin D
unwashed hair
my colleagues
crocuses
fresh fruits
peace of mind
sleep
cans in kitchen cupboard
God
jar of apple jam
smell of spring
smell of my favourite perfume
gratitude
cup of hot chocolate
phone calls with my best friend
Despite everything, there's a lot to be thankful for, guys!
No comments:
Post a Comment