Silver Linings Playbook. The somewhat guilty pleasures of COVID19.

Few, if any of us, think that this pandemic is a good thing. 

But if we’re being honest, there are probably one or two, oh heck, let’s make it three things about this situation that you’re secretly happy about.

Here are some of our favorites:

1. I’m sorry, but I won’t be joining you. It sucks not to be with friends and family. Or go to a party.  Or eat indoors at a restaurant.  But, COVID is a great – and unarguable — excuse to get out of those commitments that we really didn’t want to participate in in the first place, like going to that snooze-fest of a dinner party at your friend Carol’s. Or schlepping across the country for the obligatory holiday get together with relatives you moved to the other side of the country to escape.  And, I’ve found that I’ve actually become closer to my really close friends as other social obligations have fallen away and my focus has narrowed to those who are truly near and dear.

2. The solidarity of mask wearing. Nothing brings people together like shared adversity.  Right now, we’re all on the same team: Team Mask. I find myself more open to nodding at and talking with people in public spaces than ever. I’ll share my unsolicited opinion about that food item that you’re pondering over at Trader Joe’s. I’ll eye roll with you when the person in front of us in line at the UPS store has to copy three documents, buy two padded envelopes, and ship four packages that they didn’t get their sh*t together to put into boxes before they got there.  I’ll laugh with you when your dog abruptly stops to do his business right in my direct line of perambulation.  And most of the time you’ll eye roll and laugh back.  Cause we’re all in this together.  Go Team Mask.

3. Your pet is loving it. I can’t tell you how many “coronapuppies” I pass on the street on a daily basis. Shelters and breeders are reporting a huge surge in demand and a low rate of adoption returns. Your pet is ecstatic that you’re home ALL THE TIME (with them!) and are available to give them attention 24/7.  We are going to have some seriously sad pets when all this is over.

Now to the purely personal.  For me, as a city dweller, there are two things I’m loving about all this. 

1. The quiet. My apartment windows open out on a small public garden, and while it is lovely to look at, it can get really loud during nice weather as teenagers hang out after school and children cavort noisily in the playground — with no regard to the fact that it is my nap time. And it has cut down on the number of boisterous parties that used to plague those Friday and Saturday nights when I found myself at home just trying to Netflix and chill — with no regard to the fact that it is my bedtime. The pandemic seems to have solved that lack of concern for my rest and relaxation time and for that I’m grateful.

2. No tourists. My preferred form of exercise is biking around Central Park. Before this all came down, I would have to bike before 9 am or after 6 pm to avoid the throngs of tourists out walking without looking, taking pedicabs and horse-drawn carriages, or participating in group biking tours that took up the entire roadway.  These days the coast is relatively clear and I can take my rides whenever works for best for me.  Central Park for New Yorkers! Hooray!