[Seek] Peace with a New Normal

[Lent 22]
I'm not the kind of person who naturally enjoys being stuck at home. I've become used to it as part of living with multiple chronic illnesses. I make the best of it when I'm too unwell to go out and do things. 

But this seems different.

This isn't an illness that I have that's keeping me at home - it's the possibility of getting an illness that has me staying relatively safe at home. Granted, my immunocompromised body is at risk of getting ill anytime I leave the house, but covid-19 seems to be too deadly to risk it.

So I take precautions when I need to go to the store or pick up medications. I stay home when I would rather go and do and help. And when I can, I seek time in nature to replenish my spirit.

Our most recent hike, our sixth of the year, was just what I needed. Cold, and windy, yet beautiful, the day was just right for a hike with two of my children and my husband. 

We headed to Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown, CT.

I wasn't sure whether or not my body was ready for the two mile hike, but my soul was craving the solace I find amongst the trees and streams and waterfalls. 

A couple of times I felt hurried by the presence of other hikers behind us, but we would take a break at the side of the trail and let them pass, wishing them well. Because of the pain in my foot, in order to enjoy the hike, I needed to take things slow and easy. 

Perhaps that's how we need to take life right now - slow and easy. Most have already rushed out to get toilet paper and other necessities - sometimes to the extreme. Those of us who have enough - instead of worrying about whether it will be enough in the future, why don't we let others who don't have enough get enough? Why don't those with an overabundance share with those without any? By slowing down, we can give manufacturers and suppliers a chance to restock shelves, lessening the panic we are all apt to feel; we can focus on what's really important in life; we can more easily find peace with this new normal.

And if we can, we can make our lives easier and ease the burden on others by supporting small businesses that are still open. We can get take-out or delivery from locally owned restaurants. We can support seasonal businesses that are unable to start their seasons this month, possibly for the next couple months, possibly at all this year.

As we ease into this new normal ... or are dragged into it kicking and screaming ... let's find things that give us peace along the way - a walk in the woods, a delivered dinner with family, knowing you did a good deed by donating to a good cause or supporting a small business, rediscovering a hobby or learning something new with your family.

If you want to support my family, you can buy a heart, guitar pick, and more from my husband: Handcrafted by Heart

If you're looking for a wonderful bunch of people to support, please consider supporting The Tot Cart.

From the wonderful, amazing, generous owner's* gofundme:
*She happens to be my pastor's wife!

Food truck season typically begins this time of year. Most food truckers save enough money to feed our families and pay our bills through the winter months, while booking events and catering March-November. 

As of this writing, all of the events we were counting on to jump start our season, pay our employees, and get tots in your bellies have been cancelled, at least through May. We are deeply concerned about the impact COVID-19 will have on our employees, and ultimately, the Tot Cart itself. The health and safety of our employees and customers is our primary concern, but we are facing a financially devastating event from which we may never recover. 

And we aren't alone. All around our country, and across the world, food service workers, hourly workers, service industry workers, small business owners, non-profit workers and the non-profits they serve, the lifeblood of our communities, are not only wondering how they will continue working and keeping their doors open, but also how they will afford to feed their families and pay their bills while we enter into this uncertain future where we are socially distancing for an unknown length of time. 

As far as the Tot Cart is concerned - we need your help more than ever.  Your donations will go to help pay employees, business expenses and re-start up costs.  Any help to offset some of the impact this is having on the Tot Cart family would mean the world to us.  In the meantime, know that we appreciate you, we love you, and we can't wait to serve you the best damn tots you've ever had when all this blows over and we weather this storm.

Donate here: The Tot Cart