This moment in time will most likely be one of the weirdest experiences we ever have. Countries and populations around the world have come to a full-on stop as we fight an enemy that we can’t even see. 

I don’t have words of encouragement to give you or a positive attitude to share. Like most of you, I’m struggling to make sense of what is happening because COVID-19 is affecting every facet of our lives. Every conversation revolves around some aspect of it. Our daily routines have been disrupted beyond recognition and we are being forced to create a “new” normal in a state of mass uncertainty. 

This isn’t normal.

I never realized how much I interacted with the world until I was forced to stop. I’ve become so much more aware everything around me, but not in a good way. Now, everything is a risk and that’s an unsettling world view to have. 

I admire the people who have been able to be productive during this time. So many people are reading books found on their bookshelves, staying fit by doing online home workouts and, apparently, a lot of my friends know how to bake bread. The most productive thing I’ve done is watch Tiger King, which is somewhat helpful because it means I’m in on the memes circulating the internet.

Whenever I see advice online saying, “do this,” “do that,” don’t do this,” “don’t do that,” I want to yell back, “how would you know?” As my mother says every time we skype and I roll my eyes at her when she asks if I’ve been washing my hands, “I’m sorry. I’ve never been a mother during a global pandemic!”

Ain’t that the truth. 

None of us know what we’re doing. We’re simply working on getting by. My main goal these days is to have a good day. Drink some water, have a nice stretch and give up trying to find answers by looking at the news every hour.

I’m always successful at this. I’ll confess that the day I binge watched Tiger King, I never got out of bed, except to get meat pies to bring back to the bed to eat. And after the fifth episode, I had to take a break so I could cry. Not because of the show, but because I had to. The emotion was there, and it just needed to come out. Certainly not one of my better days.

But I’m trying and I think that’s all I can do. Nothing is changing any time soon and it’ll probably get worse before it gets better (I told you I had no words of encouragement). 

I do find solace though in knowing that I am not the only one feeling weird and out of place right now. As the quote that has been circulating the internet these days states, “The most isolating thing most of us have ever done is, ironically, almost surely the most collective experience we’ve had in our lifetimes.”

These are weird times, my friend. Weird, weird times.