Change of Scenery


The beach near my family's NJ home, taken by a family friend's drone

For those of you that haven't noticed, I've been a bit quiet this week on the interwebs.  I've made it to NJ to be with my family for some time.  There's been a lot of negativity in the news with everything going on these days and I've tried my best to balance being informed without overloading with negativity.  I feel that many people have been trying to do the same....

As I contemplate many things, I have found that the ocean and other bodies of water that I have visited over my life tend to be calming powers for me.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am still extremely stressed about the world, where I belong in it and how I'm going to get there from where I'm at..... but when I hear ocean waves or the dinging of a buoy on the bay, these things seem somewhat further away.  I went to the beach one day last weekend for the first time this summer and was able to keep my distance from other people.  I didn't realize how much I had missed the ocean.  The warmth of the sun on my skin, the sand between my toes, the crashing of breaking waves, even the scream of the seagulls that many see as a nuisance.

I think much of why this all came as such a comfort to me was because it was familiar and nostalgic.  In the tumultuous time that we are experiencing, it was soothing to be able to return to a place where I would 'normally' be, and one where I have many fond memories.  Of course, things are not exactly the same as they were - we are still in a pandemic, even if states are slowly starting to lift restricitions.  However, I cling to these good feelings when they come up.

I also worry about the process of resuming society as we remember it.  I've heard from people who are ecstatic about the reopening and want to dive right back in as if nothing happened.  I've also heard from others who plan to let those ecstatic individuals test the waters while they themselves stay at home for the first few weeks of re-opening to see what happens.  I'm conflicted because I feel both sides of these opinions.  I want desperately for things to return to normal as far as socializing, being able to attend events and travel and the job market.  Yet, I am happy to see that during this time, there has been a shift of many employers beginning to focus more on their employee's well-being and mental health as they work from home more.  I do have concerns for a second wave of the disease if we aren't careful in the reentry process, but unfortunately only time will tell if we've done a good job in how we've managed it.

So for now, I try to take some deep breaths and carry on with how I've been existing.  I am grateful that the location I'm in now has close access to the ocean so that I can walk to hear the waves when things inevitably get stressful.  I hope that everyone has something that they can do to center themselves when they start to feel anxious or stuck.  Whether it's meditation, exercise, sleep, puzzles, baking, calling a friend, listening to the waves or any number of other healthy outlets, make sure that you are taking care of yourself.  There is only one you.

-Vicky



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