Corona isolation (2/4)

Corona. Isolation. Week 2 (out of 4) done.

The best news: we are healthy!

Week #2 started with work and unexpectedly finished early with vacation. Corona is one thing. The virus additionally and seriously impacting the European economy another thing. Earlier this week I’m one of many of my company who was sent on vacation for the following 2 weeks. A day later I was requested to be back at work… so it’s all chaotic. But it really doesn’t matter since I’m at home anyhow (without any concrete plans, obviously). So I’m happy to work but also enjoy the hours off in-between (maybe some good practice we have to get used to in the future…?).

When I’m off I’m dreaming with the girls of being back in beautiful Iceland… these days we are so close and cannot even catch up for a coffee. It’s weird. Other than that the days go different than usual: sleeping in, reading, some days working, cooking, gardening and many long walks with Charlie. It’s all working out.

And lots of time to redefine what’s important (to us) in life:

⁃ Health

⁃ Healthy cooking & eating

⁃ Plenty of sleep

⁃ Outdoor activities (well, a little limited these days)

⁃ Sunlight

⁃ Less stress

⁃ Offering support to the ones who need it

⁃ Being nice

⁃ Being thankful

⁃ … the list is long

Not that I hadn’t known this before… I’m just refreshing my self-awareness. And it feels good! And right.

Not only the shelves in the supermarkets are empty… all streets and restaurants, play grounds… everything is empty, except the hearts. Most of them are full. Full of love.

There’s lots of lovely things happening around us. We have the best neighbors. They offered to share their successful toilet paper purchase with us last weekend (aren’t they cute?). Luckily, we also had a successful Monday lunch break: we got a pack of toilet paper (kind of just in time)! Yeah! It made our day. Yep, sometimes the little things keep you happy.

Maybe it’s karma: I posted all our leftover facial masks to Scott’s mum (she needs them more than us) this week before my former Chinese boss contacted me to tell me that he had shipped more facial masks to my home address – it’s so wonderful to see how people think and take care of each other these days. We feel very touched!

The south-west of Germany is offering the French Elsass available beds in hospitals to support the serious situation of Corona patients. And so does Sachsen for Italy. Neighbor country friendship.

Stuttgart landlords are taking over apartment rents for hair salons since they all had to shut down. Isn’t that beautiful?

German OEMs sharing their masks with hospitals while Pyjama and bra makers started sewing them. Solidarity is something wonderful! I’m impressed.

My employer developed a corona test which makes it possible to reduce the test time for results to 2.5hours! Times to be proud. Proud to work for a company who cares about others life’s.

And since this week German news on TV are being translated to those who cannot hear. That’s huge. And a picture can say sometimes more than a thousand words (for example the stockpiling / Hamstern).

All those examples (I’m sure there’s a lot more out there) show that crisis can also mean good things. I agree with Bill Gates who says that he believes that despite the chaos, there is a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens.

People becoming creative.

Pasta might be sold out… but flowers and veggie seeds are still available. The highlight of our week: planting flowers & veggies in our garden (that has been on our to do list for a long time).