Pandemic Post 2😷 — Patti Part Two

I had to really think about how long it has been since all of our lives have changed so dramatically. The days go by and like many people I can’t differentiate Tuesday from Saturday - so in some ways it is a shock to me that I’m pretty close to starting month 3 of the new normal. Although I know there is nothing normal about it. I read my post from about a month ago and it helped me to realize how much more we know about the virus now, but also how little we know about what the future holds. At that time I was still somewhat optimistic and hopeful that it would be while a tough time, one we would move through fairly quickly and the usual ways I spend my time would resume. Boy was I wrong. When friends and family ask me how I’m doing I’m at a bit of a loss for words. Every day I am filled with mixed emotions. Gratitude that I am in a safe place with plenty to eat and my biggest issue is that I am getting really tired of talking to myself. And grief for all the people that would give anything to trade places with me. There have always been injustices in the world - but in my lifetime no other time when they were more evident. So I’m trying to help in really little ways while still doing my part to not create increased demand on a taxed healthcare system by staying in for all but essential errands, adhering to social distancing and wearing a mask anytime I leave my home.

So what am I doing with my time? Well sadly canceling all my remaining travel for 2020. It’s definitely a lot more fun to book travel then cancel it, but realistically and understanding science to the extent that I do, for me it’s just not an option. My policy has always been to purchase travel insurance whenever I leave the country, and that really paid off when I canceled my trip to Scandinavia for August. I highly recommend you do the same and found a great article that provides excellent information. The link is https://www.consumersadvocate.org/travel-insurance Do I hope that I will get to travel extensively again? Yes! But since I don’t have a reliable crystal ball to predict when I can be assured of being able to do that safely I’m trying to figure out what the foreseeable future will be for me. Kind of a Patti Part Three detour😊 The fact that I can’t travel has helped me to reflect on a couple of things. For one - the importance of making sure to do the things that are the most important to you because you never know when a pandemic could change that possibility. If for whatever reason I don’t get to travel again the memories and experiences I have had over the past years are with me always. The beauty of experiences are that they give you joy while they are happening, but give you the opportunity to re-experience that joy when you look at a picture or just replay it in your mind. The past three years in the first part of May I was out of the country. In 2017 I was in Peru on a 7 day hike to Machu Picchu. In 2018 I was in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. In 2019 France and Belgium. All three were life changing experiences that I feel grateful for every day.

Humantay Glacier Lake. Presenting our group gift to the mountain with the help of a Shaman.

Travel has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me a braver person. It has given me a feeling of kinship with people all over the world as I have been warmly welcomed everywhere. It has given me a basis to know that we are all so much more alike then different and we all want the same things - love, acceptance and to be valued. Visiting Normandy France this past May and seeing how resilient the people there are and how they have rebuilt their towns and lives post World War 2 gives me hope that we will get through this. I know that we are all stronger then we think we are, and while sometimes I can get a little judgmental about people not complying with the guidelines, in general I see examples so often of most people trying to do the right thing. And an abundance of examples of so much good in the world and people like the first responders, essential workers and healthcare professionals doing all they can and more.

So what have I been doing? Well I haven’t trained for a marathon, learned to play a new instrument or cleaned out all my closets. I have been taking an online class from Yale for free called The Science of Well-Being. It has been their most popular class for years, and is basically about how to be happier. Who doesn’t want to be happier? It’s a 10 week class that you can do at your convenience, although it’s designed for you to listen to the lectures and then do the assignments during the rest of the week. As someone who likes to analyze and understand the why behind things I am fascinated by the science and data that back up the course. Plus I have been on my own happiness quest for a number of years so it seemed like the perfect fit and I definitely have the time. If you want to check it out the website is www.coursera.org and search for The Science of Well-Being.

In the first week of the class we had to take a free online test that would determine the areas we as individuals get the most happiness from, since everyone is different and what makes me happy probably isn’t the same as what makes you happy. If you want to take the test just go to https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register I took the test and when I got my results burst out laughing. The number one thing that makes me happy is learning. No wonder I was so excited about taking the class. It suggested things I could do to increase my happiness - travel, learn about other cultures, go to museums etc. All things that do make me happy, but most of which I can’t do now. So in the meantime looking for opportunities to learn online which includes virtual museum tours and reading a lot.

Speaking of reading I finished “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles for the second time. I loved it the first time and loved it even more the second. The writing is so beautiful it actually made me cry. The story takes place in a hotel in Moscow where the main character is sentenced to spend the vast majority of his life on house arrest. Not exactly what we are experiencing but kind of similar. It remains one of my favorite all-time books.

It’s no secret that Paris is one of my most favorite cities in the world - so spending time mentally there most days. I find enjoying a delicious croissant fresh from the oven served on beautiful china helps me set the mood.

Today I’ll have the almond croissant please. Thank you Trader Joe’s freezer😊

To further enhance my Paris experience I am watching Call My Agent on Netflix. A French TV series that is fantastic and set in Paris of course. Turn on the subtitles and pretend you are there too. There are three seasons and hopefully season four available soon. I love the quirky characters and beautiful Paris landmarks.

Everyone likes to see pictures of food so I don’t want to disappoint. I’m still getting Green Chef delivered every week and making amazing, delicious and healthy meals. They say grocery stores are one of the most dangerous places as far as picking up the virus, so I’m doing all I can to avoid going into them. Picking up groceries or getting them delivered is a much better option. I’m not that great of a cook but Green Chef is making me look like one.

Sun-Dried Tomato Flatbread with kale salad, Harissa-Spiced Shrimp with cauliflower and red bell peppers, Chicken with Harissa Apricot Sauce over Couscous, and Italian Sausage Puttanesca. All amazing!

Hope- the conviction that despite one’s present circumstances, the future will, in some meaningful sense, be better than the present.

I’m counting on hope along with all of us rising to the occasion and being our best selves. And sending all positive thoughts to the scientists.💕