All of our lives have shifted in ways we could never have foreseen even four weeks ago.
From the most monumental to the smallest detail the manner in which we measure our lives will be forever changed. The things we crave as human beings; touch, the gatherings to celebrate or grieve, have been suspended for an indeterminable time. We are left to face ourselves and, if we are fortunate enough to be with them, our loved ones.
I find myself noticing things I have previously taken for granted.
The tiny hummingbird with the scarlet coat that flutters above the rose bush, poised to show forth it golden bud. The delicate lavender color of the wisteria that hangs outside my kitchen window. The raucous greeting of a neighbor whose voice echoes across the street and reassures me. The thwap of a football being tossed back and forth between a father and son on the now carless street and the happy shriek of a boy who gets to spend more time with his dad. The meltdown of a toddler who is now living next door with his mom and grandparents for the duration. The signs of life and what is possible, even in the most challenging time; the slivers life in all its complexity and miracle feel so present to me.
The sadness of loss is mitigated by these gentle wonders.
A friend’s son who lives in New York City met someone very recently on a dating app. Just as Covid19 was beginning its menacing residence in this great city, they had deep conversations via Facetime. They decided to meet but to keep “noodle distance.” Remember those old pastel swimming pool toys? They are exactly six feet long. They walked on the Brooklyn Promenade keeping noodle distance. They walked the length of the Brooklyn Bridge twice, talking non-stop, words pouring out as they do when you are falling in love. By the time they got to the end of the bridge the second time, he turned to her and said with a sigh, “I’m going to follow Governor Cuomo’s restrictions. But I would sure like to kiss you now.”
A promised kiss; a hope for the possibility of better days ahead.
Kate Fuglei
Kate Fuglei is an actress and singer who divides her time between Studio City and Brooklyn. She has appeared in over forty episodes of television, including most recently in one of the first episodes of STAR TREK/PICARD. She is a published author with two novels based on the lives of the physicist Enrico Fermi and the educator Maria Montessori. The greatest blessing in her life is her marriage to writer Ken LaZebnik and her two sons, Jack LaZebnik and Ben LaZebnik. They inspire her every single day.
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