Our sad new normal

Our sad new normal

Yesterday started off as a great day. I did a EMOM workout (every minute on the minute). 5 rounds of each exercise. I was a sweaty hot mess after. And my brain was so happy. Here is the breakdown: 3 Turkish Get Ups (both R and L), 20 secs of mountain climbers, 10 burpees, 10 bicycle crunches plus jumping jacks. Basically you do the reps or time and then you get the rest of the minute to rest. Repeat. That last one of crunches plus jumping jacks was the best/worst.

Then the text from the husband. Someone he works with tested positive for COVID. Thankfully they only shared a work space, and Rahul was there last Friday and the positive co worker was there Wednesday. He is obsessed with using hand sanitizer and wears a mask. But this means that COVID has made its way into the regular part of the hospital, even before the “Mother’s Day wave” which is what healthcare workers are calling the results of Phase 2 opening in North Carolina. When I saw the photos of people out in restaurants, at races, beaches, I was shocked. How could people completely disobey the rules and risk other peoples’ lives? Welcome to the United States of America. I fear a huge spike in new cases and another shutdown.

Our new normal is so sad. Things like hugging, kissing, hand holding are scary to me right now. What is going to be the long term impact of not connecting in these ways? I worry the most about young children. They don’t understand why teachers and therapists all of a sudden keep a 6 ft distance. But I also worry about my teen girl (the teen boy is fine staying home, gaming online with friends). She started a new relationship a few months before the shutdown. I remember when I was her age. I was madly in love with a boy named John McKnight. COVID would not have kept me from seeing him. But I have to stand firm on the rules that we feel comfortable with (only outside social distancing hang outs). She has friends with different rules, and that is ok. Families have different comfort levels. Sadly, she ended up with an anxious mom and a rule following dad.

We will figure out our new normal. I know we will. But damn, this feels hard.

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