It's spring break for my kids right now, which means absolutely nothing in a quarantine. The only difference is that they don't have home school, and now we need to find things that bring about a sense of normalcy while subsequently filling time in a constructive way..all while doing our regular jobs. It doesn't make sense to take days off now, does it? Our backyards became our all-inclusives..The sandbox...Well, anyways.
My opinion on this quarantine changes from day to day. The days when it's warm outside and we can play in the yard, I think I can do this. On the rainy, windy, hail-filled days when everyone is cooped up indoors, I struggle with my mental positivity and may or may not question the validity of all the precautions we are taking. I don't necessarily need the vacations, but maybe just the ability to see people face to face? Hugs, non-digital conversations, and to stop looking at everyone like they are carrying the plague. I wanna go to Target again and browse and spend money on things I don't need, instead of planning that bi-monthly trip to the grocery store and dress like I'm going to the moon....And grocery delivery? My wife sets her alarm between 4 and 6AM to see if we can get milk by the following Tuesday. I just...need some sense of normalcy.
And so Easter came, and I was gonna get a takeout meal and hope for the best. A little Jesus online, my friends Courtney and Andy planned for the bunny to drive through the neighborhood, we would play in the yard, and it seemed..well..normal. So I asked my kids what they wanted to eat.
"Thanksgiving" they said, almost in unison. They wanted Thanksgiving on Easter. A big old turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, the whole thing. I mean, why not, right? And so I fussed like I've never fussed before, because they may not have their friends or school, but darn it they are gonna have a good meal. The house began to smell like Thanksgiving, and I don't know about you, but that smell is probably the greatest smell outside of the new Lionel Richie cologne. It was instantly calming, it was instantly...normal.
After dinner, the boys decided to draw Easter baskets filled with things they are thankful for. Pizza, iPads, friends, teachers, and family. Who knows, probably in that order.
As you struggle to find any sense of normalcy, don't dismiss the powerful draw of holidays. Don't forget how the vibe in your house changes with the sights, sounds, and smells of something that brings joy. Get the whole family involved. Decorate the mantel with colorful lights and have your elf on the shelf make a special visit. Grill hot dogs and put your 4th of July window stickers on the window. Find Ryan Seacrest on Youtube and count down to the New Year..Stay up late and blow those annoying noisemakers. Take this time to learn about Martin Luther King Day, Yom Kippur and other holidays you may not intimately know. Have weekly holidays to look forward to and plan. Get dressed up, and most importantly..Plan the menu! Sometimes a familiar smell is all you need to get you through the day. That's all we're trying to do anyways, right? Oh, and don't forget the wine pairings with said meal..Very important
All my best as you figure out life and the relationships in it.
xoxo Glenn