This fall, I celebrated my sixtieth birthday. It was a wonderful couple of days with a fun dinner with my family and a day trip to Vashon Island with my husband.
After those special days, I found myself letting the pandemic and life circumstances get to me. My work was getting more intense as we strive to keep our seniors tucked away in the secure bubble of a retirement community. There was many a scare of COVID possibly entering the fortress walls that we have set up and around our residents.
Meanwhile, I was working with a few difficult tenants who not only were struggling to pay rent but also in violation of their leases as the properties were not kept in good repair. This took a lot of carefully worded phone calls and emails to get to a not so satisfactory resolution. I negotiated with them to vacate their units only to find their apartments left in shoddy condition and of course with an unpaid rent balance.
Finally, the pandemic rages on. Covid cases are on the rise. Our state governor announced increased statewide restrictions. All this after what seems like a lifetime of living with face masks, social distancing, and nightly news reports of the virus.
So what’s a person to do? I realize that I have been in a downward spiral. I am also aware that although I cannot always control what is happening around me that I need to find a way to keep myself on an even keel and move through this difficult time.
This morning, I made the choice to talk a short walk around Panther Lake. The sun was out and the fall foliage was in full color. I greeted many a masked walker as I ventured around the lake. I found my spirits lift as I enjoyed the exercise and watched the ducks take turns dipping their beaks into the water.
Being out in the woods there was no cell reception, no social media to follow and no one worried about the rising covid cases in our area. It was a nice break from the sensory overload of the past few weeks.
This for me and perhaps you is the answer — taking a break from it all. The one thing that never changes is the beauty of nature. I realize that this will not make my problems go away. However, it does give me a chance to step back and talk stock in all the good things that I have in my life.
I promised myself as I left the trail that I would do this more often. There is nothing like the warm feeling of the sun on your face and the fragrant smell of the woods to make you walk with a lighter step.
I look forward to the trail I am going to walk next week.
Great post!