the ocean

I have to say, my ten days of isolation instilled in me a whole new appreciation for all of the little things in life. Two days ago I ventured out to Home Depot to buy light bulbs, and it was magical. Never mind that they insist on making you exit out of a different door than you entered so you cannot avoid a long walk through the freezing cold no matter where you park; it is wonderful to be alive! And impulse items near the cash register? Don't mind if I do! A fun size bag of barbeque potato chips is just the thing to help me maintain my stamina as I follow the trail of tears back to my car. Yesterday we went grocery shopping after a two week absence and picking out crackers felt like an absolute luxury. Tomato Basil Wheat Thins? The world is full of many a wonder. We did the self checkout just so we could really savor each item that we personally selected and purchased, just like hunter gatherers of old. And today I went back to the gym, where running in a mask suddenly seemed plausible again. I like to think of the amount of laundry detergent it causes me to ingest as an additional challenge. There is such a wide world outside of my bedroom!