When our daughter was very young, my wife and I would lay in bed with her and play the rafting game...What is the rafting game you ask? We would pretend that all three of us were "stuck" out in the middle of the ocean, living there for the rest of our lives. All food and necessary items were delivered by some boat, we lacked nothing, and we even had a generator for electricity. There we would stay for the rest of our lives. As time went by, we started rafting and changing the rules. We started "bedroom rafting," meaning we could live in the bedroom, and never leave. We had a TV, computers, we could order books, food, etc...we had it all. Soon we started "house rafting," just us three, we could go anywhere in the house or the backyard, but we could not leave. As with bed and bedroom rafting we got everything delivered. Not sure why we could not leave, but we couldn't, sound familiar?
Back in March when it became apparent we were going to be working a lot from home, no dining in restaurants, no going to the movies, no parties, or family get-togethers, I decided to change how I was living and adjust accordingly. I set up my schedule, waking up early for those morning walks, watering the plants, pulling weeds, having my breakfast and being at my desk by 7am or earlier.
After a few months went by, and it occurred to us, we were not having to "
shelter in place.” We were "rafting." All those times, we played the game, where pizza, water, books, movies, and so much more were sent to us; even the gardener showed up (ok, remember this was just a game), and the pool service too. I got on the phone and talked with our daughter and told her we were not going to "shelter in place," and she was quiet, “well?" still quiet. "Do you know why?” I asked excitedly, "not really" she replied, because I said “we are rafting. Remember all those times? Well, we are now prepared and it's kinda cool", I continued. She started laughing. As we talked and recalled many of those little "rafting" rules we had, we realized that for our family it was much easier for all of us to cope. In a sense we were conditioned and the rules of the game became our pattern of life.
In our rafting imagination we did not have to work, at least we never had to think about money, or the ramifications of not having enough, or any at all. There were no bills to pay, no office to work from, no disease, no pain. During this Pandemic, I fully realize just how lucky we are, in a world that seems so "upside down" , I so appreciate those on the "front lines" of the virus, risking their health and lives for us. I am further grateful to work with so many dedicated professionals at
LRS. We live in a time of uncertainty, and each of us needs to step up and do what we can.
Those days of rafting with the family were fun and games, but in reality it was an escape. In our game we had no responsibilities, did not have to make character decisions defining who we are, but we had fun and togetherness and for those moments we are forever grateful.
