Self-imposed isolation, day 15

It has now been two weeks. The idea of this post was to look at what happens when you spend two weeks in (self-imposed) isolation. But since the answer is not a lot, this post seems rather pointless.

There are reasons for that answer, though.

- It has not been a complete isolation. I meet my family in video chats several times a day and have even met them face-to-face… if that term applies when we keep our distances and cover our faces with masks. I also have a couple of dear friends providing me company via messages. 💙

- I’ve had practice. For over a year now, since the pandemic came to be, I have stayed at home. I have only ventured among other people when I must go to the hospital for my infusions or blood tests or other necessary medical appointments. Other than that, I have only left the house for walks in the woods or to go to our summer place – which, being on an island, is a rather good place to isolate oneself.

- And look, more practice! I am an introvert and a hermit lone wolf. There have been times when I have spent weeks without the company of other people, mostly on the aforementioned island. All of it voluntarily.

As to what (little) has happened during these two weeks: Some inability to concenrate. Things I normally enjoy (such as reading) fail to interest me – but then my sister-in-law was so kind as to let me know it was the same for her when she felt lonely, and that helped (”OK, so this is normal.”) 💚. I seem to find hot showers comforting, which might be a way of compensating for the lack of human touch.

But there have been no inordinate amounts of chocolate devoured (OK, that may depend on how one defines inordinate amounts 😉). No sitting all day long, staring at the walls. No talking to myself (apart from an occasional ”it’s going to be all, all right.” I read that phrase in a book and it’s driving me crazy not to remember which book!). If I was going to use this blog to document myself going mad with cabin fever, I’m afraid we need a better plan. Going mad for other reasons, of course, is not out of the question! 😄

In the woods about a year ago