Socially Distant

I'm beginning to find out that creativity might be the best weapon for surviving this new concept of social distancing. I'm not necessarily trying to get around the concept of social distancing just how to survive in a world where people no longer congregate, share and touch. I'm fortunate in that I've not been too negatively affected by the quarantine thing and I really haven't been sentenced to “quarantine” and I might feel different if and when that comes about. However, as a person with a disability, and I don't know if it's just the disability could be that I'm just socially inept but I've often gone whole weekends without talking to someone, or seeing someone an even longer being touched (physically). It's something I really didn't think a whole lot about until the last couple months.

I'm pretty independent and that's a blessing. However, I started this new regimen will try to apply lotion to my body every day in an attempt to keep my skin as simple as possible in an attempt to ward off pressure sores and such challenges. I used to as soon as I got out of the shower or once I would get up and dressed myself without putting cream on my legs elbows worlds I think I might need it actually particularly my butt. Graphic perhaps but true. The point I'm getting to is that couple months ago a home health person started assisted me in putting lotion on my legs every morning that I shower. In this case, three days a week and this extra attention to my skin is made of noticeable difference on my legs as well as my feet. Perhaps even more important that I've noticed in the past few weeks is how much I've appreciated the actual human touch, and literal human touch physically on my skin. In many ways I think the physical contact is as important as the chemical properties of the lotion be applied to my skin. Crave is a strong word I don't think I crave physical touch but I certainly have appreciated the contact over the last couple of months.

I went to the market today as I do most Saturdays and I don't know if it was my imagination but I think I really did see people “social distancing”. Every once in a while when someone was way far away from the other person like trying to reach a purse or some other item in the grocery cart are on the other side getting the groceries the joked about “oh, we got a make sure were social distancing” and then there is that weird kind of strained laugh. I've never really taken advantage of some of the new features allow the local markets are instituting like home delivery. For one I like shopping, I like physically going out and searching for the best grapes, potatoes or meat that I want to purchase. I've been somewhat disappointed when someone else has shopped for me. I appreciate their efforts but somehow I like picking my own items. This might be a thing of the past with this social distancing becomes more pronounced. I mentioned earlier this week about the meeting I attended over the Internet which was a great way to meet, I certainly didn't have to worry about getting too dressed up or riding the bus in cooler weather back and forth to the Buffmire building and not just because I didn't get my typical “free lunch” but I think I really did miss the physical meeting of the other members of the board. I see these people four times a year and I enjoy being in their presence just as I do with my other friends.

Kind of weird “the writers Guild” that group I belong to which meets three or four times a year to have lunch and talk about our writing efforts, what's going on with us and anything else you want to may be a casually of social distancing. I hope not because the social interactions great what's even better is the group hug which typically ends are lunches which would definitely fail the social distance test…