Isolation and I have met. We’ve spent years together. Because grief does that to a parent who has lost a child.
The weight of isolation for me was far worse when my son was struggling with substance misuse and later his addiction to heroin. It was off the charts after his death by suicide.
As the historic Coronavirus disrupts our lives and social interactions, all of us are getting a dose of unwanted but voluntary isolation in an effort to prevent overwhelming our healthcare system.
The difference between that isolation and this one is that I’m not alone. Almost the entire world, save a few countries, is on the same ship floating in uncharted waters to an unknown future. Everyone is affected in some way. That shared experience is somehow comforting to me although thoughts of businesses and people not making it isn’t.
Today, when I walked outside under the warm sun and beautiful blue skies, nature seemed oblivious to the crisis that was happening around us. It seemed like a normal day yet it wasn’t. And that contrast was downright weird.
This experience will change us. I can’t help but wonder how.
I’ve wondered about that as well. Things have changed so much in just a few weeks. More than once I’ve felt like I’m in a Twilight Zone episode.
So surreal. Every day I wake up and there is a new rule or new news. It is unsettling.