Thursday, April 2, 2020

Back to the Basics


Rise. Do computer work. Drink coffee. Shower. Shave. Dress. Eat breakfast. Check the internet and email traffic. Move to living room and read for a while. Take nap. Check internet and emails. Return to living room and watch TV. COVID-19 news first, local news second, then DVR shows awaiting to be viewed. Then streamed content. Dinner. More TV. Bed.


That’s it. That’s my day during this shelter order. The driving monitor thingy from the insurance company shows the mileage, idle time, hours of the clock the car was used, and hard braking or acceleration events. Last week’s report said I drove 23 miles. That’s about right. To and from the drug store, quick stop at a grocery store without lines, and then pick up food at curbside from restaurants still open for business. Most of the time we stay indoors. I don’t even go to the lobby to check the mail. Rocky does that!


The routine demonstrates little movement. A lot of down time. Motivation to do other things is lacking.


Meanwhile, the basic chores get done: laundry, dishwashing, tidying, clean the bathroom really well, clean the kitchen half-heartedly. Garbage and trash is a constant chore but easy to do in a building like ours. Thirty feet to the garbage chute room. No fuss, no muss. Easy peasy.


SCORE clients still call and email me. That keeps my brain active. New clients are pouring in as well; these are folks strung out by the shelter in place order that has closed down their business. So we talk and identify restorative actions available.


Church work is challenging. We are attempting to re-invent congregational life in a new age that witnesses generational separation, flagging values challenged by current events and social justice issues. Actually, it is not the values that are flagging, but the disconnect between values and problem issues. People see the same issues as totally different among the welter of opinions. The problem: opinions are not rooted in facts. Working with issues in this context is nearly impossible.


The brain is thus challenged. Reflection helps sort out what is important. Then the real work begins. How do we make good outcomes happen when people are afraid to engage in honest discussion?

Sometimes the brain hurts. A nap is good medicine for that. Also, a good crossword puzzle!


Speaking of which, what’s a good synonym for ‘patience?’


April 2, 2020




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