So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye
—The Sound of Music
No one in our family has been sad to see 2020 end. The COVID pandemic has caused us to change everything. We don’t gather for Sunday lunch, one of my cherished times. We do not go in the kids’ homes and they do not come in ours. In the summer we had yard visits either sitting in the yard or on the deck. In fact, we didn’t gather for the holidays–heartbreaking. On Thanksgiving, the kids and grandkids surprised us with a yard visit; Ben by phone (Matt was manning the turkey). They were holding letter signs that spelled “thankful”. Chad and Grace were home from school and had been for awhile. Because of COVID they were attending classes online. Grace had been home for sometime as she had a mild case of COVID–no taste or smell. We visited from the porch. It was definitely the highlight of our day. Christmas was unusual, too. It was a Zoom Christmas on Christmas Eve. We opened gifts and played Family Feud. It was fun. We laughed, but it was not the same. Stan’s 73rd birthday is this week. We will celebrate with a Zoom Birthday Party. Virtual hugs just don’t cut it. We feel disconnected; not part of our kids or grandkids’ lives.
Not only have our family times changed, but how we live our lives. At first we used groceries that we had in the freezer and pantry. Toilet paper, hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes were difficult to get. We order groceries online. Stan monitors Aldi. When it is not busy, he goes in. I’ve been in Walmart, Aldi or Schnucks only a few times. Honestly, it feels weird and I can’t wait to get home. I’ve not been shopping at the mall or anywhere. If we do go anywhere–the store or working at the library, we must wear a mask and try to keep a six feet distance from others. This pandemic began almost one year ago. It is more difficult, I believe, for those who are older, empty nesters. Younger families who have children at home have each other every day. We, on the other hand, just have each other since we can’t participate in family gatherings or visits. We feel disconnected. I suppose if we lived a distance from our kids we would get used to not being with each other. I will never get used to this disconnect. There is hope, though.
