My Blue Chair on the Balcony
From the blue chair on my balcony I watch the world go by. I watch beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets, I hear cars whizzing past, music playing and joggers pounding the pavement. I take in the aroma of a freshly mowed lawn and the scent of dinner on a grill somewhere in the neighborhood. The blue chair is my place to be and from that little seat I can take on challenges, read a good book, work, visit with family or just relax.
The world passing by the blue chair has looked a lot different lately. Instead of cars racing by with blaring music in a hurry to get somewhere, I hear laughter and see children running down the street looking for exercise. The little triangle field, at the bottom of the hill rarely sees visitors, but now it’s the entertainment hub for families who need a break from the house. Moms drive up with children, unload and run circles around the field, load up and head back home. Children roll down the grassy hill while their parents push the littlest one in the stroller nearby. Dads show up with kites and teach the kids how to fly and couples come from out of the blue walking their dog together hand in hand. At night, I’m struck with the silence coming from the town around me. The crickets seem louder than ever and they are only rivaled by the volume of the birds during the day. None of this was happening just two weeks ago.
This invisible enemy that we are fighting has brought life as we know it to a stand-still and yet in the middle of it all there are some beautiful things happening. There are teddy bears appearing in windows, signs and banners going up in yards and Christmas lights turning back on. What I’m seeing from my blue chair on the balcony reminds me of something out of The Andy Griffith Show or Leave it to Beaver – you know, simpler, easier times and in the middle of “social distancing” it almost feels like we’ve become socially closer.
I’m not downplaying the pain, the loss of income and loss of life– never no never would I do that. I’m aware enough to understand that many are working longer hours, putting their lives at risk and for them life has not slowed down but is, in fact, harder than ever. But – I’m an enneagram 9 (The Peacemaker) and empathy is number one on my Strength Finder so that means for me to survive I literally HAVE to focus on the positive.
So, from my blue chair on the balcony I’m taking note of the good things I see, and praying for the challenges. I’m not sure what life will look like for any of us on the other side of this virus but I can guarantee it won’t be the same. We will come out bumped and bruised facing loss and pain but I hope we also come out changed. I hope we will remember what it felt like to slow down and focus on what really matters. I hope we make lasting memories playing with our kids and looking our spouses in the eye. I hope we talk on the phone and in person more and by text less. I hope we come to know our neighbors a little better and have renewed empathy and understanding in to the future. These are a few of the things I’m hoping for myself and for our world.
From my blue chair on the balcony I’m hoping and praying for a lot of things. I’m hoping that when this is over kites will still soar, children will still laugh and couples will still walk hand in hand. We will never forget the year of the Coronavirus but we will get through this – together – and from where I sit, that just might be the best part.
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