The Coronavirus has really set the world into a tailspin. From Air flight to Cruise lines, traveling has come to a virtual standstill. We can of course still travel by automobile but do we want to? Gas prices are at an all-time low which should be encouraging to road trip warriors but many of the most popular places to visit have been closed to visitors including amusement parks and museums. A growing number of restaurants and bars are closing their doors to prevent the spread of the virus, relying on drive through traffic to stay afloat.
If you feel like you just have to get out of the house or you will go crazy, I think the best mode of transportation is to travel in your own vehicle. That way you can remain remotely isolated from anyone who might be traveling and has not become symptomatic. There are lots of wide-open places to visit and I’m betting that none of them will be very crowded with this pandemic going on.
Remote camping and hiking at one of our State or National Parks could offer that magical get away from all of the media hype that we are being constantly bombarded by on a minute by minute basis. How about an isolated cabin in the woods or a little beach cottage. Bring your boat or rent one and spend the day fishing. Absorbing the energy-enhancing sunlight and the solitude will help to release any bit of anxiety and frustration you harbor over the situation.
If getting away from it all is something that you are just not comfortable doing at this time, consider ways to make your confinement at home less stressful by spending less time online or constantly listening to the breaking news. Use this time to reconnect with your family, work outside in the yard, plant a garden, work on that project that you’ve been meaning to start, try some new recipes. It is a great time to learn a new skill. You can even find art projects to get your kids involved.
This virus isn’t the end of the world for most of us. It is not the Zombie Apocalypse with mass hoards of the living dead trying to eat us to oblivion. We still have an up and running infrastructure with roads open and truck drivers delivering groceries to re-stock the stores. Amazon and UPS still deliver to our homes. The internet is still delivering streaming movies and endless episodes of old television shows you managed to miss or been to busy to watch. Everyone still has cell phones to communicate with the rest of the world.
Maybe this is just the world getting our attention. Asking us to slow down and appreciate all that we have in our lives. The friends and family that we are blessed to live or associate with. All the creature comforts that we have grown so accustomed to enjoying. The beauty of Mother Earth and all of her bounties. Take a deep breath and be really appreciative of this life we are living.
Self-distancing ourselves for a few weeks is not the end of the world. Use it wisely to reflect on your life, acknowledge what is going well in your life and evaluate where you need to make changes to feel more satisfied with the life you are living.
