Meet Jay, my 35-year-old neighbor. He and his wife and 4-year-old son live in my cul-de-sac and his job in hotel management often had him traveling non-stop during the week before COVID.
The pandemic had him at home for two months of April and May and he returned to work and travel in June 2020. It was there while hearing real-life stories of people who had become ill that he realized the pressures on himself, his colleagues, as well as his guests building with each day. He began to realize that this was no simple flu or going to be over soon. “It is a natural calamity that no one has ever experienced before in their lifetime.”
His Mom, a very social and elegant woman, visited him from Bombay, India, every year and stayed for several months prior to COVID. I met her routinely on walks around our condo complex with her equally outgoing 4-year-old grandson who used to see me, wave, and prompted by his grandmother, said, “Hello, Auntie!”
Jay reports that his Mom has been in her apartment building in Bombay for six months because of COVID. She has not gone out to walk or to shop or to socialize. Nor has she allowed her many friends to visit her. She has discovered the art of socializing with Zoom. It is hard for me to even imagine the severity and impact of that restriction.
I am happy to introduce you to Jay and his journey through COVID as a father, husband, son and hotel operations manager.
Each day I try to accept Mother Nature’s invitation to “Come Closer” through my macro lens. (Invitations to come closer are not offered to 75 year olds these days!)
