Furloughed

When your oncologist tells you that if you continue to work

in a hospital,

he'll be the one on the other side of the glass pane 

when you're in the ICU on the ventilator ,

holding up the sign saying "I told you so",

you'd better pay attention.

When your adult kids remind you that you're the only parent they have

and, as flawed as you are, they're not ready to be orphans quite yet,

you'd better pay attention.

So, being no dummy, 

I did.

I'm now on a 2 week furlough,

to which I could add 2 weeks of vacation,

which I could then morph into another retirement.

All options are on the table -

and I honestly don't know what I'll end up deciding.

For now, 

I'm cleaning out closets, 

reading,

Zooming with family

watching another spring unfold before my very eyes

and thinking deep thoughts.

I'm only 3 days in.

It feels like I've been housebound for weeks.

My only association with being home during daylight hours is "sick day" -

which must be why naps are figuring so heavily into my schedule.

I've been working since I was 14.

56 years of ingrained habit is gonna take longer than 3 days to kick.

On my last excursion around the city -

in the isolation of my car -

I explored the city.

 

 I also found what I think is a good representation of COVID 19,

at least in my mind.

Not being with this one is the hardest part of the quarantine.

Trying not to project out too far and taking it a day at a time...

Anyone else want to play along?

Lockdown

By Fr Richard Hendrick, OFM

Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
 
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other 
across the empty squares, 
keeping their windows open 
so that those who are alone 
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know 
is busy spreading fliers with her number 
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples 
are preparing to welcome 
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
 
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
 
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
 
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able 
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.