Hunkering down.......social distancing in action

       

      Who would have guessed it could come to this? Yesterday’s Daily Mail headlines proclaim that English 70 year olds may be told (read commanded) to stay at home for up to four months. On the continent Spanish legislators are supposedly debating a $30,000 fine for citizens who do not “self quarantine.” Today the European Union “is poised to ban Britons from its continental territory.” The blinking world has gone bonkers.

Welcome to the brave new world of “hunkering down.” Across the globe the human race, with its inbred desire for affirming touches, close contact, and ongoing social interaction is being taught the virtues of “social distancing”...…….maintaining a safe distance from potentially dangerous creatures like ourselves. 

If you’re like me it’s just beginning to sink in. Successful hunkering down will be a matter of relying on ourselves. So much of what we have always counted on to sooth and entertain us is gone. 

No matter what your favored diversion, be it ballroom dancing, line dancing, or pole dancing……….you’re now on our own. Small wonder many of us are struggling to make sense of it all. It is so unlike us. Can you even imagine spending “up to four months” in such an unnatural isolation?

As I recall this started out as a 14 day “self-quarantine.” As of now it shows signs of stretching into weeks, even months. To make matter worse we are left to face the immediate future without the comforting distractions of March Madness, the NBA, the Masters, the English Premier League, concerts, Broadway plays, movies, children’s events, or our favorite sort of dancing.

Still, I suppose it could be worse. Truth is I am not a particularly social animal. Not anti-social, mind you, but seriously unsocial. That was true in my younger days. Now, when I hear only half or less of what goes on around me, social distancing has become a fact of life. 

Besides, except for the continuing dialogue with my best friend, who shares this “hunkered down” world with me, much of my most satisfying conversation is with myself. That part won’t change. All in all it seems to me I have “social distancing” down pat. It’s not that I don’t want to stay in touch. I just don’t need a lot of face to face conversation to do that.

Thankfully today’s technologies make communication in a world of social distancing easier than ever. Be it by phone, email, Facebook, or blogging our immediate family has been able to stay in touch and up to date. I recommend that enhanced level of contact to everyone.

And if you’re like me you are beginning to revisit any number of projects and activities that you have often promised to explore, but always put off. I have time for some of those now, at least until the weather warms up and gardening and yard care become viable options. Chances are you too have good intentions, long set aside, that are once again bubbling to the surface. Why not give one or more of them a try?

Among other things Roma and I have changed our weekly grocery-shopping trip to an every-other-week schedule. Since Winco is open 24 hours a day we tried a 7:00 AM arrival this week in hopes of avoiding a mob of like-minded shoppers. That seemed to work. We had to dodge an army of shelf stockers, but the shopper count was light and the shelves were nearly full. (Unless you fancied hand sanitizer.) Even managed to score a 12 pack of toilet paper. Hard to believe what counts as a win these days.

Finally, we mustn’t be put off by our “hunkering down” shortcomings and failures. After all, we’re new at this, treading an unmarked path. Apparently we will have time to learn. And if you are fortunate enough to stumble onto some new and surprising uses of your hunkering down time I hope you’ll be willing to share them with the rest of us.

Take care and stay safe.