The fifth Friday of isolating due to COVID-19 begins cold, windy and overcast. Days like this tend to be the days I sit a lot, scrolling social media or binge watching random shows. Spring Cleaning has progressed nicely this week and there is only one more room and a closet to complete. So instead of settling into my recliner and beginning the endless cycle of numbing, I decided to do one thing. I picked up the sock.
We have lived in our house for almost four years. For the majority of that time, our neighbors to the west of us were a couple about fifteen years older than us who worked in the western part of the state during the week. We would catch a glimpse of them briefly on the weekend, but we did not interact much. Last Fall, we saw their cars much more often and then a few weeks before Thanksgiving a rented moving van appeared. I soon found out that due to medical issues, the couple would be moving to a smaller house a few miles away. The new homeowners were going to do some painting and other updating. After the beginning of the new year, a steady stream of workers were seen going in and out of the house. That is when the sock appeared.
One of our favorite things about this neighborhood is the easy walkability. There are sidewalks throughout and a short walking path around one of the three ponds. There are squirrels, rabbits, ducks, geese, and occasionally a couple of deer. Right next to the sidewalk at the neighbors’ house was a dirty sock. Every time I walked past the sock I would think about picking it up, but justified leaving it there with several mental arguments. “It isn’t my sock, not my responsibility.” “What if the sock’s owner came back looking for the sock and I had moved it?” “It is awfully dirty, I wouldn’t want to catch anything.” So, the sock lingered there on the lawn. Now, I am not the only person who walks along that sidewalk every day. Even before the “safer at home” declaration there was an active walking or running contingency in the neighborhood. Now that so many people are working from home, there is even more pedestrian traffic. And still, the sock sat there.
So, in an effort to do the next right thing, I picked up the sock. I grabbed an old Target sack, put my hand in it and treated it similar to Pippen’s yard decorations. Did the sun come out from behind the clouds? Did the birds sing a new song? Did COVID-19 disappear? No, of course not. But I feel like I accomplished something and now I am inspired to get into the guest room and get busy cleaning out that closet and setting things right in one little area of my life. Later today, I may eat some chocolate and watch something on Netflix, but for now I’m going to keep moving.
insearchofanewnormal 