Covid Mother’s Day
Celebrating Mother’s Day yesterday was sadly inconsistent with what we have been used to all of our lives. Our close knit, Italian family is struggling to adjust to this strange alternative world of social distancing. It’s been several weeks of only phone calls, texts and google hangouts. And as nice as it is to hear each other’s voices and see my family on screen, it’s just not the same. If you’ve read my recent posts, you know I recently got married and moved out of town. As thrilled as I am to be the new ‘Mrs.’ and now living with the man of my dreams, it felt a little ‘out of sorts’ to not have my family at our wedding. The threat of this virus has many of us scared and the thought of putting my family at risk is terrifying. With various medical and news reports, it’s confusing to ‘know’ what we should and shouldn’t do.
However… I couldn’t allow my mom to be alone for Mother’s Day. We made the best of it! We took advantage of my new spacious porch and had our Mother’s Day lunch outside, each 10 feet away. I obsessively wiped everything down every five minutes with clorox and not allowing anyone near my mother. My daughter, having special needs was my biggest concern. Faith and her mommom have such a special bond. I worried that she wouldn’t ‘get it’ and just go run to hug her like she always has in the past. Surprisingly, she stayed away. It was so strange and sad that she now knows that we can no longer hug and kiss. My poor mom lives alone and talks about missing hugs. The thought of not hugging and kissing the people you love for so long, especially when you’re so used to it all your lives, is heart-breaking. Fortunately, I live with my husband and our kids so we hug and kiss each other daily. But for those that live alone, like my mom, it’s a constant need that cannot be filled. I personally cannot wait to hug my mommy again. It brings tears to my eyes to think about her not being hugged by those she loves the most.
Having said that… I’m happy to report. Our social-distancing luncheon was a success, all things considered. We got to see each other live and in person! We sat 10 feet apart and still had great conversation, played music, and laughed together. At one point, my mother played ‘the oldies’ and we all danced like fools on the porch. My poor neighbors are probably wondering ‘who is this crazy lady and how often will her family come over’!?! LOL!!! We needed that time ‘together’. For a family as close as we are, not being together was like torture. Now we know we can be together 10 feet apart and it works. I’m already looking forward to our next ‘porch party’! Make the best of a terrible situation. Appreciate the love and know that the ‘little’ things in life are really the BIG things. The emotional connection, the loved shared, and laughing through the hard times matters most. Stay safe. Stay well. And go ahead… Live Your Best Life!
