Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 33-36

In the days of the coronavirus, I’ve been reflecting more and more on how I’ve been reacting in times of crisis. Namely, though I promised I’d never turn out like them, I have inherited the same anxieties and the same precautionary nature from my parents.

There’s always a what if on the other side of the issue. I could probably go outside for a little bit, but what if I have the bad luck of running across someone who’s sick? About a week ago I really wanted to order takeout, but what if the cook or delivery guy had coughed over our food? My car’s been sitting in the garage for a month and I should move it, but what if it’s just boiling with coronavirus, eager to jump into my body?

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraApril 18, 2020coronavirus, covid-19, cerdanyola, coping, pandemic, financial stress, money, work, unemployment, worry, anxiety, fear, lockdownComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 29

As Évole writes, the fact that many people who die from the coronavirus do so alone and without a familiar face is indeed the “cruelest face of this pandemic.” People die alone, and funerals are postponed indefinitely. This, of course, does not mean that grief can be stopped.

Unfortunately, we are not exempt from this sobering reality. Because of the 16,353 people that have died in Spain as of today from the coronavirus, we knew one of them personally: his name was Ramón.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraApril 11, 2020corona, coronavirus, covid-19, coping, death, eulogy, ramón, illness, old ageComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 20

Life, in most cases, will test all of your relationships sooner or later. Marriages, friendships, perhaps even familial ties – these will all be subject to the trials and tribulations that seemingly go hand in hand with our very existence. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, problems with a spouse/partner, unexpected difficulties, or one of the many financial woes that one can fall victim to, it seems quite probable that you will one day see the true mettle of your relationships. Nearly three weeks into our government-enforced lockdown in Spain (and who knows how many weeks we have left), I’ve been thinking about how my relationship with my husband has shifted and evolved since the coronavirus pandemic interrupted our lives.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraApril 2, 2020marriage, coping, support, silver lining, coronavirus, covid-19, pandemic, catalunyaComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 18

My dear fellow Worrier,

I’m here to tell you – my voice does not shake; firm and unbreakable is my conviction – that everything will be okay. Amid the growing number of infections, the death count, the relentless advance of the coronavirus pandemic, and all the brewing economic uncertainty, I know that it’s hard to see how we, as a global community, will pull through. I have also wandered the desert of grief, searching for all-quenching hope; I, too, have peered into the hungry mouth of the abyss, searching for answers, however bleak they may be. Though I am just another traveler on the same road as you, I have stumbled on similar stones along my path, each of which has taught me a different lesson. That is why I can stand before you today and give you my full-throated promise that everything will be okay.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraMarch 31, 2020coronavirus, covid-19, coping, letter, comfort, consolationComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 16

Little by little, I am becoming accustomed to living in this government-enforced lockdown in Spain. Whereas the first week or so was dedicated to adjusting to this new normal – gloves and mask are required for any excursions outside; smiling faces on a screen in rows of three on a Saturday night; the compulsory cleaning of newly-bought groceries and supplies – I’ve been thinking lately about what lessons the coronavirus pandemic has offered me. The urge to panic, to hoard, to obsessively watch the news, to hit the refresh button to see if the number of infections in our town has grown – all that has faded and is leaving in its place new levels of understanding.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraMarch 29, 2020coping, coronavirus, covid-19, friends, love, relationships, technology, humanityComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 13

Of course, not every day feels full of hope. Some days it is difficult to remember that the coronavirus pandemic is temporary, that it will perhaps one day vanish from our world as quickly as it upended it. There are nights when – hearing my husband’s breathing as he dreams next to me, feeling the cat as it nestles against my leg for warmth – I stare up at the ceiling, straining to recall what life was like before the pandemic hit Spain. Everyday, human interaction has taken on a hazardous tinge, having become infected with dirty words like transmission or contagion. Crowded summer concerts, packed restaurant terraces, trains cramped so tight their cologne stings your eyes – I feel like I see everything these days, even my memories, through the prism of COVID-19.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraMarch 26, 2020coping, covid-19, coron, pandemic, grief, groceries Comment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 10

It’s hard not to let so much bad news get to you. It was raining today, and I watched the headlines while my coffee finished brewing. More deaths, more infections; fewer jobs, less confidence that the economic and healthcare systems will hold. The rain lashed against the window; the wind beat against the cold glass and howled under the front door. The weather turned even darker in time with the terrible news. The smell of brewing coffee began to fill the flat, and after I’d poured myself a huge mug (I love coffee), I made the best decision I’ve made all day: I switched (and kept) the television off.

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 8

This morning, I thought about my mother. How she’d pour out a few dozen frijoles onto the kitchen table and, with her glasses perched on the edge of her nose, carefully inspect the beans for any rocks or specks of dirt that may have snuck in. Before the pandemic, I would also pick out any imperfect ones that I’d see. Not today, though: I tossed in the ones that looked unappealing too, because I knew that I was lucky to have beans in the first place. I peeled and cut the garlic and added the salt (not too much, but not too little). The stove’s blue flame flickered on.

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraMarch 21, 2020coping, covid-19, coronavirus, beans, familyComment

Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 6

Lots of people have asked me how I’m keeping sane in this government-enforced lockdown. How does one deal with the inescapable anxiety about everything from your physical well-being to your financial security to whether you’ll be able to find fresh fruit at the grocery store the next day? How does one “take the edge off” when you have to stay indoors, especially today, the first day of spring which was so bright and beautiful it felt almost cruel?

Et CeteraCarlos CabreraMarch 19, 2020catalunya, coronavirus, lockdown, faith, pope francis, copingComment