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Writer Mary Jane McCall Writes About Life During Covid
Issue:
"Connections with friends, walks with dogs, the grandeur of a sunrise, all these things remind us that life is good."
Mary Jane McCall
On a gray foggy night in early March when the Covid-19 stay at home restrictions went into effect, I drove through Highlands at dusk.
Main Street was shrouded in a light fog, the twilight had an almost sepia quality to it. There was only a car or two as far you could see. The usually bustling Main Street was empty. It set an eerily apocalyptic scene and it made me wonder how our lives were about to change.
For me, it’s been an especially personal journey because during the summer I received that call that no Mother wants to get, “Mom, I’ve been exposed to Covid,” or worse, the one a week later that says “Now, I’m running a fever.”
Your heart skips a beat or two and your world stops briefly when you realize the person you love most is facing such an unknown and unpredictable virus.
Not to worry, his was a mild case and all is well, but for many it isn’t.
Now, those words run through my head every time I consider what activities I’ll engage in. However unlikely it seems that we’ll be affected, is it worth it to take to the chance? For me, it is often not. I plan on driving my friends and family crazy making up for lost time when things return to normal.
Many unexpected gifts have popped up along the way and they often involve connections with people, pets, or our beautiful mountains. Who knew that my sister cooks when she’s bored and that she makes stew beef and coleslaw just like Mom?
When my wayward cat decided to shorten my life further by escaping the solitary confines of indoor life and go on a two-day walkabout, this community and my neighbors, friends and family all pitched in to help.
Connections with friends, walks with dogs, the grandeur of a sunrise, all these things remind us that life is good.
Oh, and please mask up, the phone call you save may be your own.
