Small Changes for A Big Effect

My husband is a man to whom change is an anathema. We still live in the same condo we bought 35 years ago, because the idea of a change to our abode is just too huge to contemplate. Over the years, he has resisted many of my creative ideas…eventually coming around to most (moving is a prominent exception) albeit with a sense of unease that lingers. Simple changes, like switching our brand of peanut butter or buying a new blender or rearranging the pantry shelves, are not taken lightly around here.

So I am amused and amazed at how readily he has adapted to the myriad small changes we have had to make in the last two months. Staying home every day instead of running out on errands suits him fine. He is diligent about his new daily tasks and keeping track of them. Switching brands based on what is available is okay now. For the first time ever, he let me help trim his very unruly beard, although allowing me to cut his hair is still a scary idea!

One change is a surefire hit! Hubby loves that we now eat home cooked dinners nearly every night. Those casual last minute meals at our favorite restaurants are no more. This meat and potatoes guy seems to savor the variety of new recipes served by his personal chef. The thoughtful meal planning required to shop for ingredients online has lead to healthier eating…a change that was overdue.

Some changes we are both embracing with enthusiasm, like having more time together. Our virtual social life is not as robust as it was the first few weeks of shelter in place. We agreed that we need more “we” time and less party time. But, it is fun to connect regularly with friends we haven’t seen in person for some time. We enjoy discovering online theater performances and cultural events. More time to read is a joy!

We are struggling with one change…getting outside to walk has been very hard. We open windows for fresh air and step out on our sunny deck when the wasps are asleep, but developing the habit of walking beyond the mailbox is a change yet to come. There are a couple of reasons for that. Not everyone in our neighborhood is adept at distancing…and until this week I didn’t have a mask that fit well with my hearing aids. My dear cousin took care of that problem…she sewed masks with ties for me. This week, change is coming to our physical activity…we’ll suit up and get out there!

In truth though, we’d very much like our old lives back. We should be deep into planning a big international trip for the fall, scheduling a road trip to visit family in the Pacific Northwest, setting up dinner dates with local friends, making theater and opera reservations. Instead we are supporting our community in the fight of our lives…and accepting that change is a constant and will be forever. We have no idea if we will ever return to the lives we enjoyed eight weeks ago, but we’ll persevere and change as we must to adapt to our new lives.