Little Things I Miss

               It’s the little things that make up our days.  Those daily things that keep us organized, our households running, and bring brief moments of contentment are the ones we often miss the most when our lives are altered in some way.  Sometimes we don’t realize how important they are until they are no longer there. Since March, when our schools and then businesses closed due to the pandemic, I have been out of work, and staying home.  At first, they said it was for 2 weeks.  “Cool!” I thought, a little vacation, time for extra rest and get a couple of cleaning/decluttering projects done.  It did not, however, turn out that way!  It’s been 4 ½ months since the last time I went to work, and returning doesn’t look likely any time soon.  I realized over the course of time that what I miss the most are the daily things that make for a “normal” day.

               One of the most basic things that I miss is having a routine, a timetable to stick with or the whole day is off kilter. Even though my workday mornings were rushed, it enabled me to keep moving with a purpose.  It started the day off with an objective, and things fell into place from there.  In spite of trying to institute some type of routine while at home, it’s too easy to slack off and just meander through the day because if something doesn’t get done today, there’s always tomorrow or the day after that, etc.  It’s frustrating when basic chores don’t get done, but not so much so that they feel urgent.  Mostly I’m at loose ends, and feel no purpose to my day. I know I’m not the only one finding this to be true.  Something else I miss is saying good morning to coworkers, and having short conversations throughout the work hours about what’s happening in our personal lives and thoughts on the work ahead of us each day.  I miss the physical activity from my job, and the mental work, giving me something else to think about besides my own problems.  Trying to replicate the physical activity and communication with others is challenging when you’re stuck at home.  Exercising, texting and Zoom calls help, but there’s nothing like hard work and person to person exchanges.  I also miss being able to run quick errands as I did after work many days.  A quick trip to the pharmacy or grocery store, library, or post office were things I took for granted and now I have to wait for someone else to get home before I can run any errands since her day program is closed until further notice, and I can’t risk exposing her to the virus so don’t take her into any public places. There were days when I’d go out for coffee after work with a coworker or two, and that doesn’t happen now, either.  I’m not sure I truly appreciated everything that I was able to do daily before this historic event.

 It’s a strange and isolating time we’re in right now.  Feeling at loose ends and purposeless some days is tough to get used to and work through.  All we can do is try to fill the time with useful and personally fulfilling activities, and try to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers electronically until it’s safe to see each other in person.