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In June, writer and resident Theresa Keegan invited others to join her on Zoom meetings to write about their experiences of living through the coronavirus pandemic. About a dozen participants reflected on how this historical moment has not only changed their daily routines, but also their perspectives. Here are two selected pieces; two others will were published last week.

Actions and reactions  

By Sunshine Lutey

As the pandemic progresses I struggle because my husband, David, age 96, is faring less well and, since we had to cancel the housekeeper, I became the lucky recipient of the extra workload. I am busy. Yet, I will admit to feeling bored, depressed, frustrated and angry.

When I feel bored, it seems I can’t focus well enough to do anything.

When depressed I think David is right; “Maybe I should just go to bed and stay there. Why do I work so hard to keep things going?”

I feel frustrated because, with David’s weakened physical state, I’m now responsible for everything: shopping, cooking — I deliver meals to him on a tray as he sits on the couch. I clean the bathrooms, the house. I launder and fold his clothes. I stock the refrigerator from the sodas stored in the garage. I collect and take the garbage to the curb. I even locate YouTube recordings. David’s failing vision means he can’t navigate to his desired recordings and singing is his favorite pastime.

When he sings, David exercises his lungs as well as his brain as he works to remember the song lyrics; this is his only exercise. If he sang every day, it would be so wonderful. But when I ask him if he’s going to sing he promises, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Tomorrow just doesn’t seem to come very often. And then I get angry about unfulfilled promises.

But then recently, as I was preparing for bed at midnight, he suggested, “Okay, let’s sing.”

I swore, “Why the ‘#$%@’ do you want to sing at midnight? I’m tired!” Then I calmed myself, apologized and listened to him sing his more than seven-minute-long soliloquy from Carousel before I went to bed. The show where he was to perform this piece may be cancelled, but I’m so happy I’m able to hear him sing this.

And I’m also frustrated with myself. I originally thought that with the cessation of outside activities, I’d have time to organize my office and the den – the places where I work. To my utter frustration, instead, the disorganized stacks of paper grow daily and I don’t seem to have the time or energy to make my own little world a better place to live.

As I refocus my mind, I climb from the depths of boredom, depression, frustration and anger. First, I will forgive myself for not organizing the papers spread out in the den and office – after all, I am pretty busy. Second, I live, love and care for David. I know he loves and appreciates me. He is an intelligent, loving and wonderful man. We still love, care for one another, and know we are lucky. We comfort each other as we say, with hope, “This too shall pass!

Sunshine Lutey is the president of the Sunshine Performance Club and the Fit Brain Club. For more information visit www.sunshinecharities.com

Covid kindness 

By Theresa Keegan

The days blend together – not some luxurious, vacation-type captured moments, but a big blob of a blur. As if a tortured artist were documenting a downward spiral of infinity.

On Tuesday it seems the week will never end. On Friday I wonder how it went by so quickly. Weekends are no longer marked by fantastical, sun-filled outings but rather hours lost in books, which thankfully transport me to worlds real and imagined.

And this has been going on for weeks and weeks and weeks and months and months.  And when, oh when, will this end?

The uncertainty is probably the hardest aspect to accept. It’s beyond humbling to realize an invisible germ has turned the world upside down. And to see our country — once the greatest in the world — is flailing and failing its citizens.

Yet moments of kindness, generosity and selflessness brighten the darkness of ineptitude by our country’s leaders. There are the Aldi workers at the store entrance who say hello, disinfectant carts, then enthusiastically twirl them to customers while wishing them a good day. In a regular world, that’s a small act. In a pandemic it’s an affirmation of the humanity that links us.

At Restaurant 19 Tony and his crew have literally been nurturing the community through all this. They’ve been cooking and delivering – without a fee! – delicious meals with a smile. Having a community institution still functioning was especially reaffirming as clubhouses, workshops, the theater and sport courts were locked shut.

For many, the more we stayed home, the more we discovered neighborhoods – and neighbors. We’ve been saying hello and shopping for each other. The community areas are reinvigorated.

Concerts along the creek have created a new tradition that will hopefully carry on post-COVID. Happy hours are now enjoyed in breezeways and parks as friends set up lawn chairs – socially-distanced of course – and connect with each other for laughs and storytelling. The village has never seen so many walkers and bicyclists and runners out and about.

Through it all, we carry on. We see a renewed appreciation for our health and those critical workers who keep things running. Yet we also await, oh so eagerly, for a vaccine. It can’t come soon enough.

Theresa Keegan is an award-winning freelance writer based in Southern California. She can be reached at tkwriter44@gmail.com.