“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” ~Charles Dickens 

 

 

If someone had said that in less than two weeks the entire world would be brought to its knees:  a virus would spread across continents, causing death to those with compromised immune systems, that people would be quarantined in their houses or apartments, grocery store shelves emptied and businesses shut down, I’m certain people would just laugh at such a preposterous thought.

But that’s exactly what’s happened.

Unless one lives under a rock or is a hermit on a mountain top,  the events surrounding the outbreak of the COVID-19 have changed our lives.  We can no longer think the way we’ve always thought.

Up until yesterday, I hadn’t given it much thought.  I am already a homebody so staying home didn’t bother me too much.  But then, every day, there have been new restrictions:  first, it was 50 people meeting in one place; then it was down to ten. Then my son-in-law’s gym closed and the Uber rides have almost dried up.  Fortunately, my Love has plenty of work but one son is part-time and home more than he’d like to be.

I’ve been mulling a lot of thoughts around for several days.  Thoughts like:

~Has all this been systematically planned?  Is this really happening?  How is it possible that places like churches, gyms, restaurants, hair salons and so many other kinds of businesses are all closing?

~Why are people so obsessed with buying TOILET PAPER?  Do they think they’ll have diarrhea when they contract this virus?  Better to be on the safe side! So everyone ran out and bought up every roll of TP they could find.  Alcohol is gone, no bleach, no yeast,  no flour, no bread, and the people who are getting hired are those who are restocking shelves…people are waiting hours to buy a gun and they’re limiting the boxes of ammo folks can buy.

~Is there some sinister scheme going on that people are oblivious to and no one is trying to figure out what it is? How does something like this happen all over the world?  What is going on what is God up to in all this mass hysteria?

~How can I grow food for my family and help others who are less fortunate?  Will people try to steal the food from my garden like they’re taking fellow chicken-lovers chickens right out of their yards?

~How long is this going to last?

~How do I need to think differently to become more self-sufficient?  What steps can we take to do that?

Though I have very few solid answers to my questions, the one thing I do have is peace in my heart.

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Update:  Originally, I started this post last Friday night and since then much has changed.

On Monday, the mayor of San Antonio made an announcement that the city was entering a new phase in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.  We had an idea it was going to happen because my sister in TN said that Nashville was entering a lockdown, so we went to the grocery store one last time to get the things we’d need for the next two weeks.  I’m grateful we did now.  We’ve hit the Dollar General a couple of times in search of tp, garbage bags and elastic for the masks I’ve been making.  Only left with the trash bags…and chocolate!

When the announcement was made, I was slightly nervous my Love would be home until April 9th.  Fortunately, his company is on the outskirts of a town where the restrictions aren’t as stringent and because it’s easy to do ‘physical distancing’, he has been able to work.

Forgive me for digressing, having random thoughts and rambling.

Today he came home with ‘good news’ and ‘bad news’.  The good news is that he’ll have time to make the chicken tractor for the meat birds we are gonna get!  Of course, the bad news is his hours are being cut to 32.  I am choosing joy, not fear.

It’s important to make plans, goals and dream.  Yet, what’s more important, at least as I see it, is to try to see the BIG picture.

We had a plan: get the children registered so they can go to the same school our other grands are attending.  It’s a great plan and as it stands now, they are enrolled.  But the plan wasn’t to continue to homeschool them as students of a ‘school’. It’s Day three today of continuing to teach them here, with exceptions: they have a teacher, classes online and it’s challenging with four of them in all different grades.

Never say words like, “I’ll never do that again.”  That’s what I said after I finished homeschooling the boys.  But this time, there doesn’t seem to be any pressure.  They’re not mine.  So I can relax and just enjoy them. The BIG picture in all this is the investment I get to make into their lives, getting closer to my daughter and working together which is something we’ve not ever done.

I began this post over two weeks ago, so for now, I just want to finish it.

A lot has changed but for tonight, I’m thankful we are all well.