The Skunk

Listening to the pandemic update Tuesday afternoon in my kitchen, I started to cry a bit. I’m not sure why exactly, all of a sudden it was hitting  closer to home and  I confess I was a little frightened. Every week I write my silly little Sunday story and every week I swear I will write about something different. What else is there? Permeating our life like a run-over skunk , there is simply no escaping it.

It’s befuddling and stressful, the rules are changing on the daily. Some folks have no work and some are overworked.  Flipping pizzas, burgers or real estate it’s your time to shine and if you are medical professional all I can say is God bless you.

In years to come writers will eloquently chronicle our daily trials and tribulations related to the Pandemic. In Atlantic Canada even the mundane and tiresome act of lining up for groceries and mail will seem trivial . Missing basketball games and concerts will garner little sympathy from future generations. Staying away from a shopping mall at Christmas time will seem something so logical they will ask why we even needed to be told.

The skunk

Life went on they’ll say, love went on, hearts were broken, babies were born. Bad things still happened to good people and some of it had nothing to do with Covid-19 but everything was more more difficult because of it. How do we go on from here?  A long winter lies ahead and we know not what awaits us. We are all on edge, weary and exhausted.

We slow things down, we give ourselves permission to stay in our pyjamas a little longer, we go to bed earlier or sleep a little later, maybe read another chapter or listen to one more podcast and we don’t feel guilty about it. We also make an effort to call our friends and neighbours for a check- in, taking care of one another is really important.

The skunk

The only thing certain about this pandemic is that it can’t last forever,  sounds like the vaccine is slowly making its way. We wear our masks and follow the rules and one day we will look back and ask ourselves how hard was it to stay home and watch Netflix.. not hard at all my friends… not hard at all.

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About Laura Mulrooney

Laura Mulrooney owns Julien's Bakery with her Frenchman Didier Julien. They have run a bakery and cafe on the south shore for thirty years and sell at many farmers' markets. Laura has 3 grown sons and a 14- year old daughter who is sweet but exhausting. She often walks her Karelian Bear Dog late at night around Chester and reflects on the day and the people she has met.

2 Comments

  1. Dave Gionet

    Agreed. The pandemic for me is giving me an opportunity…, without guilt…., to slow down in daily life and not be running or doing all the time, which my mind and body desperately needs. I am in my pj’s as I write this!

  2. Thom Drew

    Hi Laura, we rarely get to meet and chat these past years but I wanted to let you know how much I like your writing and the common-sensical insights you express. It was 50 years yesterday that George Harrison released, All Things Must Pass. A good reminder for our current situation. All the best, Thom

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