It's All in Your Point of View

 

           

The word of the day is: CONFINEMENT.

I was part of an interesting discussion about confinement yesterday in my virtual art class (our group meets once a week on ZOOM). Most of us are feeling the pinch of being old enough to need to avoid the Covid 19 virus because of our age / physical conditions, we do not venture out of the house unless we absolutely have to. Some days the isolation really bugs us and sometimes we fall into depression as a result. Other days we get on a roll with our artwork and don't notice the passage of time as we dip our paintbrushes or apply our pastels to paper, bringing beautiful pictures to life. Those days are the best.

THE BOOKCASE

We talked about the ways we deal with the loneliness, and the subject of Anne Frank came up. She and her family lived in fear of their lives from Nazi invaders for over 2 years, confined to a hidden space in a house that was accessed by stepping behind a hinged bookcase. It's a classic and inspiring true story, because in spite of it all, this young girl had a positive outlook and did not let                                                                                                   the fear and isolation defeat her. 

In addition to confinement, they had to keep completely still and quiet during the daytime, and didn't dare go near the windows in the building for fear of being seen. One noise could betray them all to the Nazis, which meant certain death. 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    ANNE'S BEDROOM

Before I retired I would daydream about what it would be like to not have to go to work every day. Often my visions included warm summer days, cold fruity beverages, naps in a hammock, happiness, and not a care in the world. The combination of retirement and a Covid lockdown has certainly shattered those visions with the ice water of reality. My way of coping includes lots of reading, knitting, playing with our dogs, cooking, housekeeping, and finally succeeding in achieving the control of my blood sugar to consistently healthy levels. Most days my strategies work, some days get downright difficult - it is what it is. I try hard to keep a positive attitude and I meditate, reminding myself to stay in this moment - it helps.

This week I'm going to check out 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and read it again. Brighter days are coming. I've spotted big flocks of robins in the area, spring isn't far behind. 

Any comments are welcomed!

Thanks for stopping by, take care of you and yours.    

 Carol in Tennessee