In my last post, I felt compelled to simply get it all out there. What is the situation and where are we at. It was like a deep inhale. But today I will exhale. I will accept the state of our world for what it is and ask, now what? What is my role in all of this?
After the initial anxiety and fear passed, not to say it’s not still a close friend, I found myself compelled to quarantine. To shut down on a personal level. To only send an adult from our home out for the essentials (food and supplies) and make sure I remain informed of the happenings.
After taking this action, I reflected some more. There must be more I can do. I decided that although I canceled the homeschool classes I used to teach here in our home, I would set to work offering them through the virtual realm. After all, I had tasted success with Writing Magic going online this year and I had the confidence I could do this for others. Not only would this keep my children connected with their past life and classmates, but it would redirect my sense of purpose. I have found that I’m deeply moved by being a part of the education of my children and our dear friends. Seeing this dissipate, would be seeing a new welcome part of myself turn to dust. I would not release this important part of our lives, but simply look at it through a new lens. I would get creative, learn, and use this as a time for growth. My children have happily assisted in this endeavor and we have all of our once in-person courses available online, free of charge, to our homeschool community.
Was this enough? I thought about my credentials as a nurse. I could not have known this would be the state of our world when I left the field to be a full time mother and home educator, but I felt a sense of duty and guilt for having stepped out a matter of a few years before this pandemic. I know my skills are no longer up to par, but I am not ruling out the possibility that if absolutely necessary, I could regain my training and resume my place on the front lines. This would come at a cost and great risk of course, and I must weigh out what is truly my best action. I have five children, live rural, home educate, and my spouse works full time.
I turned my thoughts to resilience. What could our family do to become more resilient and how could we expand that to society at large? This was a factor in why we moved rural in the first place. We wanted to create sustainable living through the beginnings of a permaculture based farm. We had plans of easing in this spring with the help of friends and family, but decided there would be no toe dipping, we’d be taking a plunge. And on top of that, we’d be doing it alone, as friends and family are in quarantine as well. We have seeds and chickens purchased as well as canning supplies. As the weather warms, we will be dedicating our time and efforts to getting Shady Timbers up and functioning. We have a new found drive in doing so. Looking at empty shelves and uncertainty in our grocery stores should tell us, we have too many consumers and not enough farmers. Eating local may turn from a nicety, to an essential. Food security will be a must in the coming months and years. Not only because of COVID19, but because a monoculture simply can’t sustain our population. We have been in a habit of taking without giving when it comes to our land, and this must change. Our survival depends on it.
Maybe you don’t have the means to start a farm, but you do have the means to start a garden. Remove that useless lawn of pristine grass surrounding your home and start planting. Even the smallest of yards can become productive. Not only this, but I encourage you to explore getting some chickens. Check your city laws/ordinances, but having a small flock of chickens can provide assurance for minimal effort. If you’re in an apartment, don’t fret. If you have a sunny window, a patio, or a balcony, you can pack a lot of punch into your seemingly small space. Start growing in pots. There may also be land nearby for rent that you could grow on. You could even negotiate with a friend who has a yard full of useless grass nearby to let you grow on their property. Now is the time to get creative and get back to our roots. We’ve been too disconnected from our food for some time.
Lastly, be prepared to care for your family in the event that the hospitals are overrun. Have basic first aid supplies on hand and take the time to learn how to respond in the event of illness or an injury. It’s a good time to begin learning home remedies. Be resourceful. Forage. Medications and medical attention could become hard to come by. Be ready to combine your home remedies with modern medicine as a team.
Final reflections, do what you can during this pandemic given your skill set and expertise. If you find your knowledge isn’t as applicable to helping in this time of need, it’s time to get creative and learn something new. You have purpose in this too. You can make a difference. Encourage your friends and family. A friend once told me it’s ok to attend the pitty party, but don’t stay long. We need whatever you can bring to the table and we need the best part of ourselves. This can be a time of great growth and unity if we make it so. It’s possible for blessings to be born from tragedy.
Stay home. Stay safe. Stay positive. Exhale.