ZOOMing Through the Pandemic with Gratitude
/by Karyn Stack
Seemingly overnight, life here at Cobb Hill Cohousing has gone through a major transformation. We typically like to “gather,” share meals, socialize, celebrate, play together, work together. Now, we Zoom!
Zoom meetings, zoom birthday parties, zoom conversations with friends. It’s surreal and a strange dynamic. We are sitting in our homes, which are clustered on a hillside, staring at our individual devices, connecting through the electronicsphere. But, this is what we must do for now, and although a bit awkward at times knowing how to chime in as others are trying to as well, I feel joyful just seeing my fellow community members/neighbors on the computer screen. Sparks a reminder that I am surrounded by wonderful souls. Inner smiles circle my heart as I see each of their faces in those little gallery boxes. I had a Zoom cup of tea with one of my friends the other day, and a recent Zoom get-together with some Cobb Hill alumni/dear friends. It’s so easy to feel isolated these days, but Zoom helps remind me I am not alone. For Zoom, I am grateful.
As I’ve reflected through the years, on the benefits of living in community, living with a group of people who know how to grow food has been extremely grounding. Just trusting that if “All Hell Breaks Loose,” which it recently has, we can rally together to at least feed ourselves. The “knowing how to grow food” description is an understatement though, as we have some amazing gardeners/growers and seasoned farmers here. On site we have eggs, meat, cheese, milk, bread (lately), maple syrup, and veggies.
We also have a wealth of other skills here: facilitation, systems management, teaching, financial, land management, consensus decision making, listening and vibe checking, community building, medical expertise, parenting, stay-at-home making. For this combined knowledge base and for the unending generosity of spirit here to share it, I am truly grateful.
Friendship is another incredible gift of living in community. Cups of tea, women’s hikes, hygges, walks, bike rides, shared meals, celebrations, ukulele jams, conversations about life, hopes and fears, dreams and challenges, sharing joys and sorrows. Just the other day, a few of us were tidying up a community flower bed and before we knew it, other friends wandered out of their homes or happened by on the path, to join us for a spontaneous and lovely in-person conversation. Heartfelt sharing and connection feed my soul, and help to anchor me in the ocean of life. How I truly appreciate my friends!!!
Being a self-professed germaphobe, the likelihood of me “completely freaking out” about Covid-19 was very high. To my surprise, I haven’t freaked yet, although the potential still exists.
Knowing support and love are all around, from family to longtime friends to neighbors, helps me to maintain my center. Being out in nature is also an incredible support to my sanity. Thank goodness for Spring, the returning of old friends in the form of singing wood frogs and peepers, sightings of bluebirds and canada geese, swollen buds and spring beauties, awakening moss and earthly forest scents. Today, noticing how long the days are becoming, added some inner calm. Somehow, just being outside lets me put aside the pandemic for a while and enjoy the earth’s offerings.
So, for our land and for my ability to “not freak out” yet, I am very grateful.
Lastly, I want to express my appreciation for “The Present Moment”! With so much uncertainty and suspension of all future plans, as we ride out the pandemic, I find I’m much more present, day to day, moment to moment. Feels like a total societal and personal reset. I’m re-examining what is most important and necessary while questioning past habits and whims. Shrinking my life radius has helped me to see more clearly and appreciate the gifts that are right in front of me and have been all along: loving family, solid friendships, community, the natural world. For the “present moment,” I am so very grateful.
