When the virus shut the door on life, I opened another one. Literally.
The door to my balcony had been jammed shut for years. But with the climbing of a ladder and a lot of pushing, I got it open. I quickly filled pots with plants and found cushions for the chaise lounge, and suddenly, I had my own little oasis.
Being stuck inside has driven all of us crazy, but my private sunny spot has made this new normal a little less frightening. It is my escape from the world, but it is also my connection to it. Hearing the birds chirp as I work, feeling the sun on my skin, it reminds me of the world outside of the pandemic and politics, a world where everything isn’t so scary.
It is hard to stay optimistic right now, but having an escape like my balcony has helped tremendously. We all need somewhere to go when the world weighs down on us, a place where life feels simple, and peace is abundant.
I wish I could invite all of you to my balcony so that you could feel what I feel, but CDC might have an issue with that.
I challenge you, then, to find your balcony, whatever it may be, and revel in the momentary peace from our lives of chaos.
The world is changing, and who knows if it will ever be the same again. But I do know that tomorrow the sun will rise, my flowers will bloom, and the door will open. Right now, that is all I need.