I called today to schedule an appointment for an eye exam. The very nice receptionist asked me a long list of COVID-19 health questions. When she asked if I have traveled out of the country in the last 14 days, I chuckled and said that I had traveled from my house in the county to the grocery store in the city and wondered if that counted as international travel. Thankfully, the woman had a great sense of humor and said it may feel like it, but for this purpose it did not count.
My how things have changed. Instead of jumping into the car to run an errand, I now have to do a pre-departure assessment. Is the place open? Are there any restrictions? And remember to grab a mask in case I interact with others along the way. A mask. Really? A mere 60 days ago, if I wore a mask into a store, I would have been suspected of conducting nefarious activity. Today a mask is required in many social situations outside of one’s home.
Back in the day, I enjoyed such frivolous activities as going to the doctor, getting my hair and nails done, buying rubber gloves for washing dishes, and eating copious amounts of chips and queso with friends at our favorite restaurant. Recently I shopped five different stores to find said rubber gloves. I can tell you with 100% certainty that no one in this city has small hands as evidenced by the abundance of size small rubber gloves available in those stores. As I think about it, I should have asked Santa for stock in O-Cedar, because it appears that rubber gloves are now as valuable as gold, copper and toilet paper (which I still don’t understand).
In February I was daydreaming about warmer weather, looking forward to a five-year reunion, and making reservations to board the dog while we went on vacation. As of today, the reunion and the dog’s boarding reservation are both cancelled. Thankfully the warmer weather arrived so at least that part of my daydream came true.
About the weather…here’s something that I noticed. Spring is BEAUTIFUL this year. The sky seems bluer, the birds are louder, and the grass is greener. I honestly don’t know if this year is different or if I have just slowed down enough to notice all that the season has to offer. Of this I am certain, I enjoyed the month of April. I’ve taken more car rides to enjoy the beauty of the area than in any past spring that I can remember.
Tinkering With Success is about becoming a better version of oneself. As you reflect on the last 60 days, what has become more valuable? What seems more vibrant? As we move through the month of May, I encourage everyone to make time to smell the flowers and enjoy the view out your window. It won’t be long and we will return to regularly scheduled programming. As a result of this pandemic, I hope that each of us will have a new perspective about our lives and perhaps have learned something new along the way.