HOW DO WE OVERRIDE OUR NATURE AND STAY SAFE?

April 02, 2020 2 Comments

“How do we override our social needs [in order] to accomplish social distancing?” is the question asked in an article in Psychology Today. “If we want to get through this pandemic we need to acknowledge that our drive to be with other people is an essential part of being human. It's ingrained into who we are, and into how our culture operates. Knowing that being with others is our default, we must shift our focus so that we can fulfill our belonging needs without exposing ourselves or passing along the virus.” Knowing who we are and what our needs are helps us do what we need even though it is against our nature. We have to work at finding ways to connect with each other at a distance.

Last Saturday we had a great party with no guests. We cooked, cleaned, decorated, and got excited for the dinner party we were having that evening. And then we remembered that no one was coming over! We were having a virtual dinner party. It was an odd feeling because everything was as if people were coming.

Just before it was time to go virtual, we received a text message telling us there was something in our mailbox for dinner. Our friend John had left each of us a bottle so we could all be drinking the same wine. So much fun!

Along with the initial invitation, I told everyone I was planning to make coq au vin and sent a copy of my recipe just in case they wanted to make the same thing—they did! (See last weeks blog for the recipe)

At seven-thirty when we turned on our computers and saw everyone’s face on the screen, it actually didn’t matter that we weren’t in the same room. 

At the end of the evening I asked if anyone wanted to do it again next Saturday? The answer was a unanimous yes; the truth is no one had any other plans. John and Judy took responsibility for organizing the next dinner party.

During the week Peter and Gindy suggested we should have a name and so we do! The Briarcliff Virtual Wine & Supper Club and thanks to John we also have a logo. 

In one week we became official—how fun is that!

Since Passover and Easter are approaching and we already know we have to stay isolated, why not create a virtual celebration.

Now that we’ve discovered that virtual parties work really well, it’s time to explore other ways to stay sane and social. Here are a few ideas I came up with:

• Game night: there are plenty of games we can play online; it depends on what you enjoy playing—Words with Friends, Chess, Bridge, to name just a few.
• I always have a list of books I want to get to and this is a perfect time to get lost in someone else’s world.
• I love audiobooks and really enjoy listening to them with other people. Mark and I often listen to mysteries when we spend time in the car but we also started listening instead of watching TV in the evenings. It’s a nice change.
• As Larry David says in his PSA. “You’re passing up a fantastic opportunity, a once in a lifetime opportunity, to stay in the house, sit on the couch and watch TV. I don’t know how you’re passing that up.”     —Larry David

• This is a great time to binge-watch all those shows everyone has been telling you about for years. Getting lost in someone else’s life, as long as it isn’t about a pandemic, is a great distraction.
• Listening to concerts is a great way to feed the soul and there are a lot of concerts recorded live for you to pick from. Here Are All the Live Streams & Virtual Concerts to Watch During Coronavirus Crisis.
• Also: Met launches “Nightly Met Opera Streams,” a free series of encore Live in HD presentations streamed on the company website during the coronavirus closure
• I keep hearing about classes making themselves available online for free. “MoMA Is Giving New Yorkers Access To Free Art Courses & ‘Virtual Views’ of Its Galleries” Now that is exciting. I never seem to have enough time to go as much as I’d like; now I don’t have to worry about travel time.
• And then there are the 1,500 Free Online Courses from Top Universities available. Plus they have free audiobooks, free movies, ebooks, textbooks, language lessons, business classes, and lectures.

What is available at the moment is amazing and this is the perfect time to take advantage of all of it. Since we don’t really know when our isolation will come to an end, there is plenty of time to take advantage of all the resources that are available.

A Note

As we continue to see the effects of Covid 19 and are repeatedly being told we aren’t at the apex yet. All I can do is pray for everyone in the front lines. All of you who are fighting for us, helping our loved ones when they have nothing but you; saying thank you is not enough but it is a start and it’s important.

While I was looking for a way to help I found this organization that is raising money to help by getting restaurants who need help themselves to provide nutritious food to our health care workers. I can support that!

Here is a little about them.

Feeding heroes by parenthood together

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

• To encourage and support our community's brave heroes as they stand at the frontlines to fight the COVID-19 Pandemic, by providing them with nutritious, delicious meals. 
• To support small businesses in industries such as the food industry, who have been affected by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. We strive to stimulate businesses so that they can continue to provide jobs & income to workers. 
• To promote community involvement, unity & togetherness during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Together we will conquer.

Here is a link

https://donorbox.org/feeding-heroes-by-parenthood-together

                                                                                                     Adeline

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