I am in a stage of reconstruction. My husband passed away in June after a long illness. It was not Covid related, but losing a loved one during a pandemic is lonely and challenging. Now I am trying to move forward, figure out who I am now that I am no longer a caregiver, and get back to my writing.
Yes, I am still writing, but not as often as is necessary to keep my story moving forward smoothly. Fortunately, our critique group has moved to a video online format. We are a small group of dedicated writers, and the form works well. Since returning to the novel–that I had in progress before life changed as I knew it—it is more difficult to concentrate. But I keep working at it. Restoring our critiquing time together keeps me moving on.
My granddaughter invited me to join her in an online book club. And if a 22-year old invites a grandmother to join her in a book club, the grandmother should join. She has always lived out of state and that has made it more difficult for us to get to know each other. We are constructing a framework through the books we read. We don’t always agree, but we are learning from each other. And it has expanded my reading in new and unexpected ways. If you are looking for a way to connect with family, try it.
If you are lonely, I understand that. Be the one to reach out. Lift the rafters to reconstruct and rebuild connections—pick up your telephone and reach out to long time friends or family. They may be lonely too. A telephone call will lighten your day and theirs also. For some of your friends, hearing from you on the phone may be the only time they hear their own voices.
How are you reaching out? How are you connecting with others? How have you reconstructed your life in these unpredictable times?
As we approach the holidays, a number of you will be suffering. My heart reaches out to you. We’ve had covid-19 strike our family, so I reserve the right to say stay safe. Covid-19 can be severe. We will make it through this if we work together and take care of each other physically and emotionally.