At Home, Just Like You

I know we are lucky and I also know that luck can run away from any of us at any given time. This is such a hard time for so many and we’ve been trying to give whenever we can. Trying to help those on the front lines of addressing food insecurity has the main focus of our current giving and we’ve also started giving to some of the local restaurant workers’ funds. This is by no means a complete list, but if you are in or around Boulder Country, Colorado, here are a few ideas for giving if you are able. If making a formal donation isn’t your speed consider simply supporting local businesses as much as you can right now and being sure to tip well if you can, when you grab takeout or get delivery. Also, make sure to thank the first responders and health care workers. 

Community Food Share

Sister Carmen Community Center

Broomfield FISH

It used to be that after giving my husband and children fond waves goodbye in the morning, I would sometimes go to yoga before beginning my own work day.  I freelance from home, so the flexibility and freedom my schedule has allowed is one of the things for which I have always been very grateful. Yoga was also something one of my dear friends, Moira, and I would get together to do on those rare and magical occasions that we could find a day and time that worked for both of us simultaneously. This typically happened maybe two or three times a year, on a Sunday afternoon, and it’s been a tonic for both of us over the years as we’ve navigated all that adulthood entails. 

However, nowadays, I don’t get to fondly dismiss anyone from the house in the mornings, least of all myself, and there’s definitely no meeting up with Moira at a studio someplace halfway between our houses. But here’s the silver lining...Core Power Yoga has put some classes online and Moira had the fabulous idea last week that we get up early one morning and do a class together via FaceTime. It was delightful, seriously. Imperfect in that her video was 10 seconds or so ahead of mine, but perfectly imperfect in a manner that did not at all impede our exercise or the early morning dish session over FaceTime with her. We’ve decided that it will heretofore become part of our regular routine on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. It’s a way for us to touch base, get some new-fangled human connection, and find laughter in our shared struggles that we know are minor compared to many. 

Of course, this morning’s class was interrupted by my youngest who decided she’d wake up early with me and sit nearby to watch the whole process and try to chat with me and Oliver, the dog, who brought definitive meaning to Downward Facing Dog as he laid partially on my mat for most of the time. No matter, it was still a DELIGHT since my body was moving and my friend was virtually there. 

This is basically the view we each get doing yoga via FaceTime, but we do actually look at each other and chat after. 

Yep, we’re all home thanks to the COVID19 global pandemic. We are some of the lucky ones and that fact is at the forefront of my mind, every minute, every day. We are trying to do what we can: dropping off bags of food to our local food bank, giving money where we can, tipping extra when we have the chance, supporting local businesses, and trying to dig deep to find a little more kindness. 

We are also trying to keep buoyant here at home. Five of us + dog. Dogs seem to be some of the only winners during this time. As far as I can tell throughout our community, dogs are getting more walks and attention than ever before. They have no idea what’s happening, but they are HERE for it. Our dog, Oliver, features prominently in everyone’s daily happiness. Clever things like putting him on laps and pretending he’s a kid visiting Santa Claus occur regularly. Comedians, all.