It's been a long time since I've written to this blog, but seeing as to how I don't seem to have another outlet, and I'd like to put this out there to albeit what is a very small group...
To put into perspective what a bad year 2020 has been...
In January, I lost who had been my best friend. We weren't quite as close as we once were. It had been difficult to watch someone so close succumb to mental illness. To witness over time how a person could push away his friends, family, loved ones was difficult. For it to have ended in his unexpected demise at 42 years old has left me shaken and insurmountably devastated. As with many a pain, it has become more bearable with the passage or time. However, some wounds never heal, and even if they do they leave behind an indelible scar that remains. You may forget about it for awhile--Periods of time both long and short. Yet it's always there as a reminder.
In fact only days earlier, I had gathered with a group of close friends, all of whom had either been pushed aside already, or were ominously soon-to-be. But I digress, this isn't really about that time, forgive me. Those who were there know how happy I was to be with them at that much better time. How bittersweet it was to see them again too soon at the memorial...
In the midst of this, we've been planning my son's Bar Mitzvah. Invitations and ridiculous trouble with the mail. Meeting the the entertainment, the caterers, the rabbi, etc. The time shuttling my son to and from the temple. THE PAYMENTS!
To add to the stress, my wife is in the first year as a principal at an inner city elementary school. She's beyond stressed. I'm trying to be there for her, my son, my younger son who's doing AMAZING despite getting lost in the shuffle. Trying to run a business, support my wife, plan a Bar Mitzvah, be a good father, it's tough in general, but lots of people do it. Doing it while grieving for my friend added a ton of weight to the situation.
But, well hey, why not. Let's throw in the Corona Virus COVID-19.
Now the Bar Mitzvah has been postponed. The temple? Closed all together due to having had positive test(s). The caterer? Well, what does that matter. Keep an appropriate #SocialDistance.
If you have to be around other people, wear your gloves and mask. A good N/P95 if you can find one! (you can't). Maybe you'll find some toilet paper (out of stock) or some meat or chicken (out of stock).
Now we're in self-isolation. On the verge of all-out quarantine. If I'm lucky, I'll still be able to pick up my groceries from the curbside pickup at my appointment--sometime next week (earliest I could get and damn lucky to get it). I'm more optimistic that I'll be able to pick up the cake for my soon to be a #QuaranTeenager
But hey, it was a beautiful day today. Went outside for a family walk/bike. Kept an appropriate--you guessed it #SocialDistance from everyone else with similar ideas. I mean a beautiful day. Low to mid 70s, low humidity. Yet somehow in some way, I managed to get caught outside for the 3 minutes that a stray shower POURED just overhead.
No folks, 2020 simply has NOT been my year.
