In almost every phone call and gathering I've been apart of in the past week, the discussion about how to plan during a pandemic has come up. The reality that everyone feels a little bit differently about plans during a pandemic has risen too. This is not simple.
So what's a person to do?
I think it's important to create your own personal boundaries with regard to this pandemic and be ready to live along those guidelines. For example, friends asked us to get together. My husband was clear that a picnic was the best way to see one another. The friends were open to that--it was a simple situation. On the other hand, with others, it hasn't been so simple--some have stretched the guidelines creating worry and others have held very tightly to the guidelines thus creating undesired distance. I don't fault anyone for their personal decisions as there's no clear and detailed understanding of this virus--there's a lot of unknowns and there's a lot of fear too. No one wants to get very sick and no one wants to lose a loved one to this illness.
As I think more about this, I'll hold to the following guidelines:
So what's a person to do?
I think it's important to create your own personal boundaries with regard to this pandemic and be ready to live along those guidelines. For example, friends asked us to get together. My husband was clear that a picnic was the best way to see one another. The friends were open to that--it was a simple situation. On the other hand, with others, it hasn't been so simple--some have stretched the guidelines creating worry and others have held very tightly to the guidelines thus creating undesired distance. I don't fault anyone for their personal decisions as there's no clear and detailed understanding of this virus--there's a lot of unknowns and there's a lot of fear too. No one wants to get very sick and no one wants to lose a loved one to this illness.
As I think more about this, I'll hold to the following guidelines:
- Keep about six feet away from people other than my close family members who have sheltered in place with me
- Wear masks in public places and large gatherings
- Stay away from closed gathering spaces as much as possible
- Good hygiene routines and use of hand sanitizer before, after, and during times when I have to be in public spaces
- A positive schedule of positive activity and events
At this time, this is the best I can do. Onward.