Groundhog Day...Again...And Again

I think all or most of you know what I mean with the title of today's blog. It will soon be a year of hunkering down, keeping ourselves out of harm's way by wearing masks and social distancing when we have to be out in public, and otherwise living in our own little bubble world that begins and ends almost the same way day after day. There are few, if any, stand out days in the week marked on our calendars. It is difficult, if not impossible, to plan trips to family, friends, or bucket list places. It is easy to let the dust bunnies grow because they will still be there the next day or the next week, or maybe (horrors) the next month because we have nothing else to do and nowhere much to go. What is there to look forward to that is special? Certainly family holidays and vacations are still questionable. Although maybe looking forward to getting Covid-19 vaccinations might be. For some they don't even know when that could possibly be because they are young and healthy. I participated in a Covid survey yesterday and one of the main parts of the survey had to do with what I perceived to be questions about current mental and emotional well-being. Generally I was able to be more positive than not, but I have had both of my Covid vaccinations, now almost a month ago for the second one. But I have talked with others who still see no vaccinations on the immediate horizon and no way to even think about dreaming of a future much different from what they have been experiencing for nearly a year now. They are becoming depressed and they even lash out at others because they are so frustrated and they have pent up anger as a result because they see they have little or no control over their daily repetitive lives. They love their spouses and children, but, quite frankly, they are tired of them. They need to socialize with others and be able to have fun again, but don't see that happening in the foreseeable future. Since all of us probably have the same or similar feelings of angst and frustration, it is also difficult to even be able to help each other out because it is difficult to try to take on a bit of someone else's burden when you are already feeling a bit overwhelmed by your own. The old "saw" that "Misery loves company" seems empty because it is just plain meaningless in a world where we are all miserable in one way or another. One thing that I have found that helps, though, is sharing memories of good times. Doing so can bring smiles and laughter and a renewal of knowing that we are part of a bigger picture that includes happy and good times. Hopefully we can remember many more of them than these unpleasant and seemingly relentless miserable ones. That's why I have enjoyed taking time recently to remember car trips and "knock, knock" jokes, and loved looking at old photographs. The times right now that seem forever, really aren't. I know that realistically they will pass. I would suggest that all of us might consider taking some time during each of our continuing "Groundhog days" to remember those good times and even pick up the phone, email, or text someone we care about and say something like, "I was just remembering something. Do you remember when we.....?" I will guarantee that it will brighten your day and probably that other person's day, too.