I would like to tell you that I have started writing my book or been spending time focusing on my photography but really I am barely getting this short invite written and out to you.
When I thought about having more time alone at home, I thought about all the creative projects I have been putting off and would like to spend more time working on. And yes, I have done some small steps but when I get frustrated with my progress, I have to remind myself that this is not a writer's retreat, but a pandemic.
Still, though, I have been creative. We have all been. We have had to re-imagine how we live daily and creatively think about the future. We have had to set up our homes differently so they can now be our places of work, our kids' schools, our gyms and maybe even a family restaurant. We have sought connection through our phones, social media and across the six-foot divide. We have zoomed for meetings, happy hours, art classes and concerts. Everyone is getting real creative.
In the kitchen, we are consistently being tested. With so many meals to cook and dwindling ingredients, each meal could be considered a masterpiece (even if your kids do not appreciate it). Scarcity breeds creativity and it has been in hard times that so many of the meals of our ancestors were created, then to be passed down. Who knows, that dish you made up the other night because you had four things left in your fridge could become a new family favorite. Maybe you will be making it for years to come to honor and remember this time.
Whether it is in the kitchen, in our work or in our homes, we have all had to adapt and be resourceful. We have had to creatively use what we have to move forward, even if we have lost so much. And yes, there will be some incredible art, music and writing created from quarantine, but it is ok if your only creative outlet at this time is your daily life.