Change of Address

April 8, 2020

The man in his garden was right.  Life does go on amid all this darkness.  Last week, my life took me to a new apartment about twenty minutes’ drive from my childhood home.

I can’t remember why I was in such a hurry to move – all that packing and driving and arranging just so I could sit alone in a different room.  The new place feels right, though. Last night’s pink-tinted moon rising over the bluffs that line the Wisconsin River was one small reminder of this.  There’s also the very big reminder to be thankful that I haven’t caught COVID-19.

With that in mind, as I sit watching the rain and sipping coffee (my home coffee-brewing skills will definitely improve as a result of all this), I want for nothing.  All is well in my corner of the world.

It’s tempting to think of this period as one giant vacation.  But that would be unfair at best to my friends and relatives classified as essential employees.  My newfound leisure time stems from a dire need for social isolation. That’s another reason I love my new place: I can choose from any number of hiking spots and barely even see another person.  I’ve certainly hiked and biked my share since I arrived.

Still, I like to think I’m keeping the goal in mind.  I know there may come a time when I will need to stay indoors, no exceptions (or at least show off how stylish I look in a mask).  As I wrap up this process of switching homes, I’m understanding more and more that it’s the staying home that counts.