Picnic Cancel

Growing up, we had what we called "repeaters" in our household, and one in particular feels very apropos to this coming week: PICNIC CANCEL. We add a dramatic pause in between, and elongate the final syllable for effect. It feels good to say when you finally make the call. It adds a little humor to the heartbreak. Go ahead, give it a try: Picnic...Can-cel. See, it kind of helps, right? 2020 is one big f**#ing "Picnic Cancel."

Yesterday, after watching our Thanksgiving plans recede into nothing (a slow painful process that began with weeks of denial and procrastination that culminated over a few days of canceling, one by one of us dropping like flies, after coming to terms with the fact that being together for the holiday and my mother's 70th birthday was not the right(?) thing to do no matter how many PCR tests we schedule), I had a moment of feeling overwhelmingly sad and stuck. The F.O.M.O. loomed above me, about to pounce, as I contemplated my children missing out on another slice of "normal" childhood, and my mum not having her family together to celebrate her once-in-a-lifetime birthday. I decided to go for a walk.

Instead of taking my usual left out of our driveway, I went right, and discovered a path I've never travelled in the 5 plus years of living here. I found myself meandering through new (to me) neighborhoods. The warm weather had brought folks outside in spite of the fading light. I was struck by this newfound path and the glimpse into these strangers' lives as they pushed their children on swings and laughed together behind masks. All this to notice, witness, and experience simply by turning left instead of right.

Although I will miss our crowd singing We Gather Together out of tune, and the post-pie flag football match, I am curious what other paths exist parallel to the beaten ones I know so well. COVID is forcing all of us to do things differently. I wonder what will come out of all the time and space created by the millions of cancelled picnics this coming week.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Georgia

As always, thank you for reading.

This week I will be offering a normal schedule through Wednesday. On Thanksgiving, I will offer a CAKE class at 8am and a Blue Light Yoga class on Friday at 9am. I figure some CAKE before pie and some Blue Light the day after is how it should go down this week.

Monday CAKE 9am
Tuesday Blue Light Yoga 9am
Wednesday CAKE 9am
THANKSGIVING CAKE 8am
Friday Blue Light Yoga 9am

Last week's Blue Light Discussion about putting ourselves out there was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who showed up.

Our next Blue Light Book Club discussion is Wednesday, December 16 at 630 PM. We will be discussing The Story of More by Hope Jahren.

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