47: Week 1

It's been cold for a bit, the January kind of cold that keeps me inside because it spends days hovering in the 0 and below, days that make it close to the 20s but still too cold to take a walk, a tight step trying not to slip. And this week, it's been that mental wise, trying to find a way through this first week with the repeat that I didn't want to fathom, accept, or fight through, but here I am.

During the pandemic, I decided to chronicle the early days, and then that moved into early weeks, then months, until a year had passed with weekly postings about my journey, navigating this newfound unwanted terrain. And now, as 2025 passes through its first month, and this first week of 47's return, I considered bringing back a weekly reflection, a way to remember and process my living, sometimes struggling, during times that I maintain will test all our courage.

And I don't know if I have that courage to sustain week after week. I'd like to think so, and I imagine there will be times along this journey when I need to hide, cower perhaps, let fear grab a rein. Hopefully not too long.

Strategies--I've certainly pondered them, created lists in my head, discussed with friends, revised, and extended. In this moment--

• Nurture Community. During the pandemic, family and friends got me through. Nan and I spent lots of time together, with the pets, and became this very tight unit at home, navigating through an unknown frightful journey. Zoom dates with friends, walking dates with friends, staying in touch in numerous ways, because we helped each other by just being there. I am conscious that this community I need. It is something that cannot be legislated away from me. With a good friend, I started a month experiment of sending each other a text containing whatever rises to our mind in that moment (perhaps a piece of music, a photo, a link to a poem, words)--a connection. 
• Indulge. Eat good food. Travel with a bit of comfort. Don't hesitate to do something I can afford, even if it feels a bit extravagant. And watch as much darn television as desired, avoiding anything newsy but a bit of PBS news early in the evening, otherwise escaping through laughter and espionage and mystery and good old comfort streaming. 
• Engage. I am back to doing at least one political action weekly. Indivisible and Americans of Conscience Checklist make it easy for me by outlining some concrete steps that I can complete early morning in bed, drinking coffee. 
• Take Care. Whether this means walking 3-5 miles, meditating, journaling most days, prioritizing time to read from my pile of books, daily. I also read the news daily, but focus on headlines and skimming articles, finding that if I linger too long on a photo, like I did this week, I then tank a bit, playing music on repeat and sheltering. 

I hope if you are reading this, that you return again, perhaps sharing a bit of you and how you are living and getting through these weeks.