Is Anybody Home?

It’s mid-April to the day. There is a solitary daffodil by our shore now in bloom and many others with plump buds. We learned only yesterday that the restrictions imposed upon us here, even prohibit us from walking on the rocky shore that abuts our property. But we can sit inches away and look at it.

We have enjoyed the loons particularly this year. They are now in their resplendent summer colours. We have two pairs that haul fish quite regularly from the waters beneath. We chuckle at the mighty eagle soaring, with annoying small birds dive bombing it as it glides away. A heron just flew by on its way to some camouflaged landing.

Yesterday the sun was even out. I did my daily morning exercises bathed in its rays. I chatted with a neighbour two houses down who sat peacefully reading on her deck. Conversation feels so good. And so does a neighbour’s smile.

I confess to feeling a little house bound. I am fortunate to have my beloved here with me, although we spend much of our day in different rooms writing, reading or doing other things: for me there is fiddle practice and working on a script. And of course there is cooking. We each keep busy and find the days pass quickly.

Because we are apart during a good part of the day, we have much to talk about at lunch, at tea time, and for our late afternoon happy hour. And of course our daily after dinner walk in the neighbourhood is a special delight. Yesterday, the peepers were shrill and loud in the upper marshland just a few blocks away. Rarely do we see anyone. It is a brief distant encounter if we do. But those we see seem glad to have a wave and a quick chat en passant.

And of course, we are both making a special effort to be more regularly in touch with distant friends and even with some of our family! We know many are alone. Many do not have the luxury of a large home in a beautiful setting. We know we are fortunate indeed.

But, we have discovered Zoom recently. So we have tried it. A tea party with family, and a drinks event with friends in Ontario were a little stilted but enjoyable. And then there is Skype, which we had been more familiar with but rarely used. A neighbour invited us to a Skype cocktail hour. To our surprise that was wonderful – wonderful to see people who live so close but seem now to be so distant; and wonderful to catch up on news – not just about Covid-19 but about “LIFE”.

Communication takes effort. Friendships take effort.  People had become sloppy in their human relations exchanges. Perhaps we are now learning to make that effort. Perhaps we will realize it is worthwhile.