I’m Sure Glad I Started Journaling in January 2020
Daily reflections are a gift during these unprecedented times
In April, my writing group used “reflections on life during the COVID pandemic” as a writing prompt for submissions. We were meeting online, and the topic felt like a good exercise for writing out some of our feelings. Given the rollercoaster of emotions we all were experiencing, we wanted to commiserate with each other through our words.
The exercise sent me, flipping through my daily journal. I stepped backward through time to mid- March when I canceled my flight to Pennsylvania to visit my nephew in the hospital getting cancer treatment. The government had recommended canceling non-essential travel. But I also couldn’t risk exposing an immunocompromised little boy to coronavirus.
A few pages further, I read about attending a conference in Orlando. Even during that first weekend of March, I realized attending a gathering with thousands of people jeopardized my upcoming plans to visit my nephew. I worried the 12 days between trips was not long enough to ensure his safety.
In an entry from the last days of February, I wrote about meeting a friend for dinner. We sat down at our table, and she immediately handed me an alcohol wipe. I looked at her quizzically. She had family in…
