CBS Sunday Morning Video synopsis

The forced isolation brought about by stay-at-home orders poses an unnatural state for human beings conditioned to thrive on social interactions. Still, our experience of being alone could inspire a new way of living. Lee Cowan talks with professors of sociology and genomics, and with a Benedictine monk, about how to adapt to the stresses of this period of isolation. He explores how some people are coping via hobbies, such as sketching, baking, or quilting.

For a personal thought, as I watched this, and the opinion and research presented was that people like being around other people. This self-isolation of the last two months is emotionally impacting people. I had to step back because I do not feel affected by this request to stay at home for safety. My impact is on other aspects of life reactions but not isolation.

My life has always been a stay at home unless I am working, volunteering at church, or a bible study. I never enjoyed going out except for dinner two or three times a month, so my husband and I had time to talk to each other. Does this lack of impact make me a ‘bad’ person that isolation is a blessing? I do not have that infernal questions from others that I never know how to answer when they ask, ‘What did you do this weekend?’. They always look sad when I respond with nothing because that is what we did, and I was happy with that. Our family does not usually go on vacation; the closest I did was treat my daughter for the last three years by taking her to Cedar Point (https://www.cedarpoint.com/) weekly because she likes roller coasters and swimming. Even then, that brought fear from people that I was not riding any rides, I read a book while she was on the coasters. I enjoyed our day, and we talked about life when going from ride to ride and when going on the train together. With all that said, I over worry about why do people feel that families, friends, and acquaintances need to be together continually.

A four-year friendship I had that ended recently also had this overwhelming desire to be around people. The individual often said in anger to me that I could get in the car and go wherever I wanted. When I said, I did not because I had no interest in going by myself to places, and I did not have the money to just up and go somewhere that did not involve a necessity. We used to go places until I could no longer take this person with me due to a physical limitation on their part. Our friendship started to fall apart what is so amazing about being around people?

With the isolation of this stay at home, we do not need to worry about whether we are wearing the right clothing or saying the right thing to someone, or are we interacting correctly? There is so much peace being alone and able to work on a task, meditate, pray, journal, or work. Interacting with people is exhausting and draining. So I am still puzzled why we are not embracing the shelter in place. Yes, I know we are easing up in restrictions, but until the world feels COVID has concluded, our lives impacted. Heck, why do we want to interact with people that bad mouth others that do not agree with a decision made or information believed? Have Facebook contacts that I do not read anymore, and they are so nasty about their personal opinion. Their current topic is the COVID numbers are false, face masks are a lie, our government is trying to control us, and decisions politicians made at the beginning of this in March. Whether these statements above are true or false as individuals, we are allowed our personal opinion. We do not need to say we are naive or stupid for believing or following what asked of us.  

My take on the COVID numbers we will never truly know based on decisions made in regards to how and who tested or information documented. Face masks do help either they will be beneficial in protecting from environmental like smog or the flu wearing them is not hurting you unless there is a physical or emotional reason. Another thought is we are honoring the people that need to wear one based on CDC and company policy and procedures. Governments are trying to control they have done that before COVID this is just more obvious. What do you call some of the rules and legislation we have to follow before this year that make no sense. Politicians’ decisions since March, this is an unknown situation with minimal information whether they made the right or wrong decision. These same people may also complain if more people had died if the shut down had not taken place. Life is more comfortable to live and problem-solve around if we accept that not all decisions are significant decisions, but learning to live with the consequences take less energy than complaining and more gets done with a plan than just no idea.

Childishly I get frustrated because we all have an opinion of the situation around us, but it does not mean we should tear other people down for their opinion. In my opinion, I just posted my anger or be agreed upon it. Still, it is an opinion of what currently presented as facts from media and social media. These are full of sentiment, fact, fiction, and half-truths of other individuals. Opps went on a tangent, but it does show why I prefer my isolation. Face to face contact/socialization, and I cannot walk away from someone who is ranting. With the beauty of isolation I can read or watch something else, not something that pains me. So let us celebrate and accept the isolation when in need of contact, call someone or set up a time to meet for coffee or a walk in the park. For me, this time of isolation alleviates some of the anxiety that comes from being around others—trying to fit personal actions to others’ perception of appropriate behavior or speech.  

Reference

CBS Sunday Morning, Jane Pauley, May 17, 2020,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw5J-V0NQQI&feature=youtu.be