Social distancing restrictions are kind of a bummer.
It’s like we’re all teenagers who have been grounded with no end date in sight.
There’s been certain privileges that have been taken away. For me, that means I can’t go to the gym since they’re all closed, or move much in general since I’ve been working from home most days and it’s already too dark out for a walk by the time I’m done.
As far as exercise is concerned, I’ve been trying to compensate with lifting weights, sit-ups and other floor exercises, but I have limited ideas so the whole routine only amounts to about 20-25 minutes of fitness.
Hair salons and threading spas are also closed, so my bangs and eyebrows will soon be a sight to behold, as both are getting out of hand.
Going to the grocery store has become like going into town for those who live in isolation. As one of the only places that we’re still allowed to go to, it’s one of the only times you’ll see people besides those you cohabitate with. Quite an occasion.
Although there’s no one actually monitoring my physical movements and whereabouts, meaning there’s no one keeping me home, it’s the sense of moral responsibility to others that’s keeping me inside and following the restrictions.
Or maybe it’s a case of Catholic guilt. Even for non-practicing Catholics, it never truly goes away.
The dilemma presented itself this week when I grappled with whether to make the trek back to Connecticut to visit my family this weekend for my upcoming birthday.
Although my parents aren’t technically in that at-risk category for older adults yet, they would likely still be more impacted by coronavirus symptoms than I would. I’ve been asking myself whether the trip and a chance to see my family is worth it in the long-term.
I have no reason to believe I’ve had any exposure, but you never know.
Although a birthday, exercise and a well-groomed appearance may seem inconsequential in light of the struggles many others are facing during this epidemic, it’s the little things that I find myself missing the most.
To compound matters, every “stay-at-home” deadline, which encompasses social distancing restrictions, keeps getting extended. As one tweet put it, it’s like learning how to swim as a kid and just as you’re about to reach your goal, your mother callously keeps backing up further each time.
Of course, each instance is for a person’s benefit. You only learn how to swim by being tossed into the deep end of the pool on your own, or at least that’s my mother’s philosophy since that’s how my family’s last two German shepherds got their lessons.
In the case of social distancing, all of this is unpleasant, but I’d bet anyone would take prolonged discomfort over prolonged loss of life.