Skip to main content

Pity Party


I'm not prone to host pity parties. In fact, the last one I had was over five years ago when I transitioned to the wheelchair. It was a good one, if memory serves, and over forty pounds joined me where they lingered, resulting in a long miserable hang-over.

 But, it being a pandemic and all, I felt like hosting another pity party. I mean it's a fricking, once in a lifetime opportunity, right? Here I am, gimpy and immune compromised and shut-in for three weeks. I have my "co-workers" John, Matthew and Delaney here with me, Facetime and Zoom for human contact. But I miss my friends, family, WW coworkers and members, people at church, my pharmacist, Bill at the gas station, the owners and staff at a couple restaurants, the florist, the smart-ass cashier at Aldi, the wonderful people at the vet's office, all the healthcare workers I'd be seeing at the oncologist's/neurologist's/optometrist's/dentist's/family doc's offices and all the people I'd be connecting with while I'm out and about. And to make matters worse and my pity party better, I couldn't just go outside and walk for respite or recreation or exercise like all you 'normal' people. Couldn't just lace up my sneakers, don a jacket and step out the door. Couldn't put Wally's leash on and take my pup for a stroll. Nope. None of those things. That was the 'piece d'la resistance' or straw that broke some camel's back or final piece of straw, or whatever metaphor you want to insert. I was done, and ready to feel real sorry for myself.

 But yesterday, the sunshine seemed to be especially beckoning to me. It was a balmy 50 degrees. And I thought, cancel that damn party, I'm going to get my sorry ass out to enjoy the sun and I text my friend to see it she wanted to go for a walk. Well, she'd walk and I'd roll in my fancy-dancy red scooter. And that's what we did, at a social-distance of course. 

 We went along Lakeshore drive and I reminded myself how fortunate I am to live this close to Lake Michigan and it's beauty. We saw plenty of other people (at safe distances) and seeing them was a refresher as well because despite this damn pandemic, all were smiling. But the absolute bestest of bests was time with my dear friend, live and in person! We caught up on each other's lives and joked along the way (how my heart rate was or wasn't going up riding alongside in my fancy-dancy red scooter). I longed to hug Kris, to thank her for bringing me outside and out of my solo pity party. Instead, I'm here giving her a virtual hug with immense gratitude for being the amazing friend she is and always has been. Love you, Kris.


 We agreed to do it more often and to invite another friend who abhors isolation more than me. And when I got home, I sent Pam a text asking her and she responded quickly with "Yes!" and then with an invite to some house party thing. Next thing I knew, I've downloaded a new social app and we're video chatting as I'm making dinner. And making more plans for walks and social distanced happy hours on the deck - which will require John and Matthew and Delaney to do some cleaning of the deck furniture.

 I've cancelled the pity party.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Parenting

I just read a post on Facebook regarding the dearth of parenting. The poster was describing a scene where two young girls were pelting rocks at some ducks in our little town and how he observed no parents around telling these girls that it was wrong to torture little innocent animals. Within hours, there were 15 responses - all alluding to a lack of parenting that is evident nearly everywhere today. Stick with me here - because that conversation reminded me of one I'd had recently that might not seem related to parenting at all. It was with my oldest son about his concern about the selfishness of our culture - most recently evident in the Wall Street meltdown. He believes that we are too focused on "Me" and not enough on "We" and if we had a little more focus on the total and just not our part, we would be in a much better place. Still there? Okay, here's the cement that will hold this together - those girls pelting little ducks with rocks weren't likely...
Post a Comment
Read more

When you encounter a totally different reality

John and I arrived early for an appointment (for those of you that know my husband, you know that this is not infrequent! The story of arriving three hours early for a flight to Phoenix from Midway still gets repeated and laughed about when the 'kids' get together). We found a seat and the waiting room began to fill. We had chosen seats away from the TV where NBC's Today Show was playing, so we couldn't see what was on the screen. Another couple sat before the TV and provided commentary and as the time progressed provided a glimpse into a total different 'reality'. "Oh I can't even stand to look at him. He's so evil" "What is wrong with his hair?" "This administration will do down in history as the worst ever." "The federal government is taking over the states. There's going to be a civil war, just you wait." "They just let all those illegal aliens in and then they're going to give them weapons to take...
1 comment
Read more

When a small town is huge

  In the movie "it's a Wonderful Life", the protagonist George Bailey has longed nearly his whole life to 'shake off the dust of this crummy little town off my feet," to see the world. But Bedford Falls, that crummy little town, felt differently about George. And with the help of a quirky guardian angel, George eventually sees that his life and his town were pretty wonderful. Good lord, but I love that movie and it's characters and it's moral and that small town. I watch it every year at least twice and still cry every time. And I wonder too about the man that pushes the devious Mr. Potter's wheelchair and stands by his side- you know the man, he looks a little like Lurch from "The Addams Family". I wonder, what was he thinking as he listened and watched his boss ruin the lives of everyone he could. What kind of an Non-disclosure agreement did he sign, to keep him silent as he stood by and watched Potter pocket the money Uncle Billy was depo...
Post a Comment
Read more