smiles, the contagion we need

So many people are living in fear and loneliness these days.  That seems as unhealthy as catching a flu for most people.   Maybe even worse because that will lower your immune system and make you more susceptible to the icky stuff. 

Please remember that everyone is probably just as stressed as you are.  Smile and wave across the street.  Hold a friendly conversation with strangers you meet outside.  From a safe distance, of course.  

Smiles are the best kind of contagious. 

deserted desert

I recently flew cross-country to visit my brother, whom I hadn't seen in almost four years.  Neither one of us was doing great mentally when I bought the tickets, so it seemed that the benefits outweighed the risks.

I've flown all over the world, in all kinds of conditions,  This was certainly one of the most bizarre times, and the eeriest.  The airports and airplanes were close to empty.  Half of the people wore masks, and half (like me) walked around like it was normal, except for the incessant hand-washing and Happy Birthday singing.

O'Hare airport

Dallas airport

He and I laughed for hours and hours, which was good for our souls.  We also talked about deep personal and childhood traumas, which maybe helps to heal also.  I spent lots of time in nature at his ranch.  And getting unconditional love from his dogs.

Freya

Magnus

The one place that wasn't deserted was a mountain a couple hours away that we wanted to hike.  It was packed!!  And there was snow everywhere.  Deep snow.

snowman

squirrel

It was really nice to be away from civilization and not worry about things over which I have no control.

rooster

horse

cactus

apocalypse shopping

Pop and I went on on one of our routine (or so I thought) Costco shopping trips today.  We got there late morning to try to avoid the crowds.  Our first clue that it was atypical was that there wasn't one open parking space, even behind the building.  We waited for a woman to load her truck, and then we took her parking space. 

 

We skipped the toilet paper and water aisles, so I don't know how bad those were, but the shelves were fairly empty for Costco.  Every employee that we spoke to said it had been three solid days of this, and that it's been worse than Christmas and hurricane shopping.  And apparently we did get there at the 'slow' time.  It was more crowded when they first opened, and it was worse as we were leaving, when the lunch crowd was arriving.

It was certainly an experience.   Everyone was friendly, without a bunch of panicked pushing and grabbing.

I stocked up with some extra sardines and frozen food, but neither one of us went too crazy.

I hope we both look back on this day as just another bizarre life event and not one that changed our reality.