But How Will I Stay Connected?
Love in the Time of Corona (+ Cancer)
We are living in… Interesting times.
Feeling cut off? Isolated?
When I was 24, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The illness progressed quickly. We buried him 10 months later.
During the months when he was sick, my dad was brave and introspective.
I was my dad’s primary caretaker. Those days are some of the most valuable I’ve spent. We took walks, shared memories and made new ones.
As he weakened and began to slowly give things up, my dad said a lot of poignant things. I’ve been pondering one question he posed quite a bit as of late.
It was an afternoon when my dad realized his speech was weakening to the point that he’d no longer be able to answer the phone. My hero, the person I admired most in the world, asked me: “But how will I stay connected?”
I didn’t know how to answer his question (even though by this time I’d reached the ripe age of 25). I knew though what he was really asking. “How will I say goodbye?”
Fast forward. It’s now April 2020. We are social distancing. Flattening the curve. Stuck at home (many of us). Safe at home (some of us).
For me, at this point in my life (age 42), I’ve realized the most important person I need to stay connected to—especially when times are tough—is someone I’ve known forever.
Don’t get me wrong—having a support network is critical. But, no matter where you go, there you are. I once moved across the country (Indiana to Oregon) to test this theory. I came along for the entire ride.
No matter where you (don’t) go, (because your governor has issued a Stay-At-Home Order) there you are.
What can you do during this time to stay connected to those that matter in your world? Are you remembering how much you count? Can you use this time to reconnect with yourself? Can you use this time to become friends with her/him/them—perhaps for the first time?