We’re currently living through a global pandemic.
It’s hard to believe I’m typing those words.
To be honest, I’ve written five different versions of a post, all of which say something along the lines of: It’s been 2 years since my last post! We’re facing a global pandemic!! Everything is super scary and uncertain right now!!! I’m afraid for the lives of my loved ones, and those I’ve never met – so, everyone!!!! I’m looking for hope!!!!! Hopefully we’ll all be all right!!!!!!!
Truthfully, none of those versions seem to do this moment in time justice.
I’m either worried the posts don’t expound enough on the hard-hitting, science-backed facts surrounding what’s happening (and with the news breaking so quickly, it feels nearly impossible to speak to it with 100% accuracy). Or, they don’t speak to the messy jumble of feelings I cycle through throughout the day. Every day. Or, they’re written in a tone that is much more sad/scared/furious than I care to remember this time being.
Just for the record, I am scared. I am sad. And I am furious. (And lonely. Quarantining alone isn’t easy, even with the persistent stream of text messages and dressing up for Zoom happy hours and game nights.)
In spite of all of this (and I did name my blog after it),
I’m choosing to have hope.
It’s hard and it’s messy, and I very may well (continue to) cry every day. And that’s okay! (Shoutout to my family, friends, therapist, Twitter, neighborhood dogs, Netflix binges, Zoom brunches and happy hours, mother nature and Man Repeller articles for lifting your girl up!)
And so! Because we’ll be at this thing for weeks? months? a year?, this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. We have to get our pool floaties ready and strapped on because it appears we’ll be swimming against a steady stream of heartbreaking, scary and infuriating stories for the next little while. We’re all working to create our new normal.
Let’s let love, hope and joy be our respite.
May they be driving forces (along with good health, lots of hand washing and an overabundance of social distancing) that push us through to the other side!
To that end, here are a few things floating around the internet that have given me respite lately. My hope is that they’ll do the same for you.
// Tour some of our most breathtaking National Parks, from fjords in Alaska to volcanos in Hawaii.
// Check out some of the world’s coolest street art.
// She’s baaaack! Megan Markle and Prince Harry are *officially* living Stateside, and I, for one, am thrilled by this news. Check out Megan’s best looks from her time as a royal (including THAT Stella McCartney halter wedding dress #swoon) and get delightfully lost in the story of her rise to royalty in the podcast series, Even the Rich.
// Peaceful Cuisine has created beautiful, slow-paced ASMR cooking videos that are arguably more relaxing than they are instructional, but that didn’t stop me from watching the dude make Turkish bagels, chocolate covered coffee beans, and Takoyaki.
// Every Sunday night at 10pm John Mayer is live-streaming his show Current Mood on Instagram. It’s prime, low-budget greatness. Check out this clip to get a flavor.
// I’m tempted to start a virtual book club, and this list Vogue put out of 8 new books to read this March will be my guide. (*Also, consider buying your next read from your local book store!)
// Play Code Names online! Start a game and invite your family/friends/coworkers/neighbors/whomever.