Hi everyone! I sincerely hope that you and yours are safe and sound. And if you are not altogether sound and not sure if you are safe you are not alone. My adorable feisty 92 yrs. young mom called me last night after reading my last blog post. On the call, she was honest about having a slightly scratchy throat and cough. What could this mean? Am I getting COVID19? Of course, being Italian my mom thought the worst… well, not the best, and called me. You know how moms are when they don’t come right out and say what they’re thinking but give you hints? “I read your blog post.” This was followed by a long pause. I said, “Oh, great wow, what did you think?” In a very grave voice she said, “How are you feeling?” Honestly, I couldn’t recall what was in my last post. “Ah, yeah I am fine, why?” Then she reminded me what I had written. Well, there’s a lesson or two in there for me. 1. Always follow up with your mother after publicly divulging your health concerns. 2. Call your mother.

Now, to be fair my family is quite close. Mom, thank goodness, calls or emails daily. And if we haven’t heard from her everyone is frantic. She is 92 after all. Our children, 20 and 25 also touch base almost daily. It would be a marvelous thing in normal times to have people in your life reach out to you frequently but in these times it is a MUST.

My family is lucky, we have had hard times, rough times, crazy accidents, health issues, close calls; you name it and we have probably been through it. But, maybe that is one reason we appreciate each other so much. I grew up in a small college town, both parents were teachers, and we lived out in the middle of a forest where my dad basically got one of each farm animal, for fun! We spent hours outside looking after the animals. My closest friend was several miles away and if I wanted to see her we’d have to walk up the scary road in the forest. [It probably wasn’t scary but when you are in elementary school you are positive Little Red Riding Hood wasn’t a fake.]

Maybe this is one reason I was so close to my parents. Or my brother and I were just super lucky and got very demonstrative parents who hugged us, said ‘I love you.” several times a day, tucked us in to say our prayers, and on and on. They weren’t perfect parents but who is? We weren’t perfect children but who can be perfect?

The point is, now is the time to call everyone in your family and tell them you love them! What on earth are you waiting for? The current health crisis is giving us an opportunity to be unusually loving if we aren’t used to it. To forgive and ask forgiveness.

Watching the news is shocking and sobering to say the least. Looking over at my husband, whose trying to hide the tears rolling down his face after the story of a nurse sobbing in her garage, because she can’t be with her family after weeks of watching other peoples family members die alone was too much for him. You know what he was thinking? What if that happens to us?

This is what I am talking about. Call or text if you must but tell every single person you have ever appreciated in your life, or who has done something great for you, that you care.

Some of us may escape this virus and some will not. We must learn from all of this social, physical, and economic upheaval. If we don’t learn then the ones we have lost across the globe have died in vain. And that would be the worst outcome of all.

So, I am texting my brother, calling our son, our daughter, mom, in-laws, etc. Make each day your best day wherever you are and under whatever restrictions or limitations.

Because you just don’t know. Go to bed each night with zero regrets.

Sending you all prayers and thoughts of good health, safety, and peace.

Gratefully,

Mary