A year ago this past week I was in Hannover, Germany. The organizers of the annual huge trade fair known as Hannover Messe had assembled an international cohort of journalists, writers, and other media types to preview the trade show that none of us would return to visit. By April, we were all on some sort of lock down.
I returned home on Thursday evening. Friday morning I taught the regular Yoga class and went home to let the house inspector in. For we had accepted an offer (very nice one) to sell our house where we had lived for 35 years. Saturday, I taught a soccer referee class (most likely the last one I’ll do, even though I remain a ranking instructor), drove to the Chicago suburbs, looked at houses, and made an offer to buy.
While in Germany, we remarked that there were no Chinese journalists in attendance. We knew something was up. Little did we know how bad it would get.
The next four weeks were a blur of arranging financing, waiting for deals to complete, and packing. And packing. And selling excess stuff. And throwing away excess junk (I estimate 2,000 lbs.). Advice–don’t live in one place for so long–or leave it to the kids to clean up 😉
We moved March 23. We then found the reality of the Covid shut downs in the sudden reduction of activity. Yes, we had to unpack, hang pictures, and all that stuff. But we were in a new community where we knew no one, in a lock down, in a new state, with a new lifestyle (sort of).
The first thing I decided was to maintain my daily disciplines of study, meditation, writing. We made one trip back to Ohio to vacation in the back woods of the southern part of the state and to close out banking accounts. And then the virus took off again, and we were back to mostly staying inside.
I’m ready to travel, if I had somewhere to go. It’s been a year since the last time I set foot in an airport. Eleven months since I’ve taught Yoga; twelve since I’ve taught soccer.
But the daily disciplines carry on. Here I am with breakfast writing this essay just like the past six years or more. I hope you all remain safe and maintain your disciplines.
Faith Venture 
February 17, 2021 at 7:59 am |
2020 was the first year in over 30 that I have not flown anywhere. After spending 11 of the last 13 weeks of 2019 travelling I have to say that I do not miss the airports, the queues, the lounges, the aircraft, the hotels, the taxis, the trains, etc. But I do miss the people, particularly the ones I have connected with around the globe for many years, some of whom I may never meet up with again.
Like you Gary I have maintained the daily disciplines of spending time with God throughout the various lockdowns and restrictions in the UK (we are currently on our third lockdown). However, I have let the writing go. Something I need to address.