Sunday Musings — July 26, 2020
I scheduled a play day with a friend this week.. Originally, we had planned to drive to Lake Erie and find a safe, sparsely populated area to walk along the lake front. As it happened the forecast for the day was rain in that area. As an alternative, I suggested Marietta, Ohio which is still close enough to make for a non-stressful day trip. We were on the road by 7:00 a.m.. Our first stop was the Riverview Restaurant in Matamoras, Ohio which is also the site for the docking of the Sistersville, WV ferry. There was a group of older men on the other side of the restaurant from where we were sitting enjoying each other’s company. Except for the fact that we wore our face masks into the restaurant and the waitress was wearing hers, one could ignore Covid-19 and election news. We had a very “United States down home” breakfast of sausage, potatoes, eggs, toast and coffee. The only down home breakfast item missing was biscuits and gravy or grits and gravy depending on one’s point of origin. The next stop was a tour of the historic Lafayette Hotel in Marietta, Ohio. Marietta is a historic town partly because of its central role and location in the opening up of the Northwest Territory. From there we traveled to the Campus Martius Museum. Not surprisingly, on this weekday morning, there was only one other family touring. We appreciated that they were wearing masks and respected social distance, The docent was very informative and patient with our questions.
Next on the agenda was lunch at Buckley House - fine dining with an affordable luncheon menu. The restaurant is located in an 1879 grand house which. retains the separate rooms; works well for social distancing. We were the only one in that room. There were no distracting televisions and other than the face masks no reminders of Covid- 19, political news or even financial news; just two people enjoying a wide ranging relaxing conversation. Later we visited a roadside fresh produce market and then an antique store where one could wander for hours imagining the hope, dreams and play dates of the former owners of all the displayed treasures.
After my friend dropped me back home I was pleasantly tired, but ready to deal with work and home issues. I did glance at the headlines but did not dwell on them.
I am reminding myself to more regularly schedule play days. I am well aware that not everyone has the flexibility to take a whole day as I do. Most of us can schedule play dates with family and/or other friends in the evenings or weekends. Certainly, we do not want to put ourselves or anyone else at risk for catching or transmitting the virus, but we do need some people with whom we can safely play. Play may involve a picnic in a well-spaced park, a meal in a restaurant which allows for social distance and where staff and customers are wearing masks, a drive, a walk in the park, a bike ride, or a visit in the garden of a friend or on a large covered porch. I would strongly suggest that play times be unplugged times or at the very least if one has to be on call very limited checking for messages. I am one of those who is on call and given all the stressors associated with Covid-19 I do not want to ignore crisis calls for help from clients or perspective clients. On the other hand, I never answer the phone when I am meeting with a client for an hour which means that I can safely set aside the phone for at least an hour at a time. Many families I know schedule regular times to unplug from smart watches, video games, phones, computers and televisions so that all the members can be fully present,
When we have full or nearly full emotional, spiritual and physical gas tanks most of us will automatically notice the special qualities of loved ones and the wonders of nature that nothing can destroy. We can take a lesson from those who wrote music in the Nazi concentration camps or from those who have written inspiring words from the cells of their jails and prisons. We can keep living rather than closing down and acting as if it is not safe to be emotionally present. It is always safe to dance. Our dance may change as circumstances change but we can and must dance often – by ourselves and with each other.
Written July 26, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
I scheduled a play day with a friend this week.. Originally, we had planned to drive to Lake Erie and find a safe, sparsely populated area to walk along the lake front. As it happened the forecast for the day was rain in that area. As an alternative, I suggested Marietta, Ohio which is still close enough to make for a non-stressful day trip. We were on the road by 7:00 a.m.. Our first stop was the Riverview Restaurant in Matamoras, Ohio which is also the site for the docking of the Sistersville, WV ferry. There was a group of older men on the other side of the restaurant from where we were sitting enjoying each other’s company. Except for the fact that we wore our face masks into the restaurant and the waitress was wearing hers, one could ignore Covid-19 and election news. We had a very “United States down home” breakfast of sausage, potatoes, eggs, toast and coffee. The only down home breakfast item missing was biscuits and gravy or grits and gravy depending on one’s point of origin. The next stop was a tour of the historic Lafayette Hotel in Marietta, Ohio. Marietta is a historic town partly because of its central role and location in the opening up of the Northwest Territory. From there we traveled to the Campus Martius Museum. Not surprisingly, on this weekday morning, there was only one other family touring. We appreciated that they were wearing masks and respected social distance, The docent was very informative and patient with our questions.
Next on the agenda was lunch at Buckley House - fine dining with an affordable luncheon menu. The restaurant is located in an 1879 grand house which. retains the separate rooms; works well for social distancing. We were the only one in that room. There were no distracting televisions and other than the face masks no reminders of Covid- 19, political news or even financial news; just two people enjoying a wide ranging relaxing conversation. Later we visited a roadside fresh produce market and then an antique store where one could wander for hours imagining the hope, dreams and play dates of the former owners of all the displayed treasures.
After my friend dropped me back home I was pleasantly tired, but ready to deal with work and home issues. I did glance at the headlines but did not dwell on them.
I am reminding myself to more regularly schedule play days. I am well aware that not everyone has the flexibility to take a whole day as I do. Most of us can schedule play dates with family and/or other friends in the evenings or weekends. Certainly, we do not want to put ourselves or anyone else at risk for catching or transmitting the virus, but we do need some people with whom we can safely play. Play may involve a picnic in a well-spaced park, a meal in a restaurant which allows for social distance and where staff and customers are wearing masks, a drive, a walk in the park, a bike ride, or a visit in the garden of a friend or on a large covered porch. I would strongly suggest that play times be unplugged times or at the very least if one has to be on call very limited checking for messages. I am one of those who is on call and given all the stressors associated with Covid-19 I do not want to ignore crisis calls for help from clients or perspective clients. On the other hand, I never answer the phone when I am meeting with a client for an hour which means that I can safely set aside the phone for at least an hour at a time. Many families I know schedule regular times to unplug from smart watches, video games, phones, computers and televisions so that all the members can be fully present,
When we have full or nearly full emotional, spiritual and physical gas tanks most of us will automatically notice the special qualities of loved ones and the wonders of nature that nothing can destroy. We can take a lesson from those who wrote music in the Nazi concentration camps or from those who have written inspiring words from the cells of their jails and prisons. We can keep living rather than closing down and acting as if it is not safe to be emotionally present. It is always safe to dance. Our dance may change as circumstances change but we can and must dance often – by ourselves and with each other.
Written July 26, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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