QUARANTINE LIFE: A CELEBRATION

I’m one of the people who’s been sheltering in place as if there’s a grand prize at the end of it all. 

I haven’t seen the interior of a grocery store in two years, and can count, on one hand, how many times I’ve been to a gas station. 

I’ve turned down numerous invitations that require gathering with others. Today was only the third time I’ve sung publicly since January 2020. Just as with the other two times, it felt as if it was a new experience I’d never broached before. 

Today, I fought my butterflies and honored the request of a dear friend. What I gleaned from the experience far outweighed my contribution. 

It is such a wonderful thing to be able to celebrate a life well-lived; to honor someone who contributed so much to the educational, spiritual, artistic, and moral fiber of her family and community; to marvel at the grace and strength she was given to live 95 years. 

It’s also wonderful to witness the dedication and commitment of your friends, and the love, respect, and support they’re shown. 

I so admire anyone who’s ever been a caregiver. I know what that entails, and to see it be done with such grace and determination, causes your regard for a person to grow exponentially.

I’d stood in the alto section of the singing aggregation I love for over twenty years— listening and blending with my sister friend, Sharon. On countless occasions, I’ve heard her sing with a voice that’s rich and strong, but today it was even more confident and beautiful, as she sang today in tribute to her mother. 

Everything about the service was fitting. From the sincerity of each speaker, to the splendid young musician, to the delightful eulogist, I briefly forgot my worries about being “outside”. 

I was impressed by, and thankful for the attention the church staff paid to Covid protocols. It’s been a while since I’ve been inside anyplace other than my home. I genuinely felt safe.

I realized how easy it is to go from homebody to recluse if one isn’t careful, how seamlessly things can be done when people make the effort, how healing and humbling it is to be appreciated by one’s peers, and how the things you’re led to do (in spite of any apprehension), have a way of silencing your fears and equipping you with everything you need to carry out the task. 

Today was a blessing.