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In February you were so overwhelmed,
Between your business and family you were tired;
There never seemed to be enough hours in the day,
You secretly wished you could get fired.
The posts on social media, the news,
The politics, the economy and the crime;
All you wanted was a break,
You just wished for some extra time.
And then just like that, the world stopped,
A pandemic they call COVID-19;
Which forced you to stay home for months,
And you thought, maybe I can finally get the laundry clean.
But then the schools announced they’re closed,
You have to help your kids learn online;
But don’t worry, you’ll get tons of instructional emails from their teachers,
Reminding you to breathe and that we’ll all be just fine.
BE FINE?! How is that possible?
My schedule just got even busier than before;
I didn’t ask for these extra responsibilities,
I wanted less to do, now it seems I have so much more!
Although you’re working longer hours,
Being self-employed means you may run out of money;
You use humor to take your mind off things,
But the truth is, none of this is very funny.
And then a check arrives from the government,
They say to pay bills and put the rest away;
THE REST? WHAT REST?
It wasn’t even enough to pay the bills that were due today.
Your anxiety is at an all time high,
Your body just wants to stay in bed;
You might be able to get something accomplished,
If you could just turn off all the thoughts in your head.
Be right back, my daughter just walked in,
She wants me to go outside and play ball;
I told her I have too much work to do,
Go on out by yourself, be careful… don’t fall.
On my way to the kitchen, I spot her out the window,
Bouncing the ball against the door;
I realized that she looks so lonely,
Maybe I could take a break and play with her more.
She won’t be this small forever,
And usually she’s busy with her friends;
Now’s my chance to bond with her,
I should hurry before quarantine ends.
Imagine all that we can do together,
We can play cards or color or jump rope;
Give her a glimpse of what it was like when I was a kid,
And prove that in this time of isolation, there is also a great deal of hope.
What if the point of this quarantine,
Was to give us a chance to appreciate what we’ve got;
To make memories with our loved ones,
Focus on what we can do and not dwell on what we cannot.
Today I stop feeling sorry for us,
I’ll stick to my schedule, I’ll make a plan;
And realize I’m only one person,
It’s ok to do only as much as one person can.
And it’s ok to go outside,
Toss a ball or just enjoy the weather;
We all may be isolated in our homes,
But we are truly in this together.

khoingn
April 24, 2020I pretty much love this. Very nice!
Melanie williams
April 24, 2020Loved reading your honest and transparent approach to all this. It can be hard going for sure, but in time it will all work out xx
Kay
April 24, 2020The current social distancing and quarantine could be hard on everyone – thanks for sharing with us your thoughts and feelings, we are all in this together.
Daniel Sierra
April 23, 2020Beautiful words and very inspiring. Being in lockdown with kids can be really challenging. Especially because many people think of this a productivity contest and you get flooded with messages of how to be more productive and sometimes you just one to get through the day. I wish you the best and it is true it is time to enjoy time with our kids.
Toni
April 23, 2020I love this!! So beautiful and very inspiring!
Stephen
April 23, 2020Very beautifully written, life has been so strange lately, but it’s important to look for the positives and make the most of the time we have with our family
Hope you’re all well
Yeah Lifestyle
April 23, 2020Such a beautiful but truthful revelation. Our lives were so busy already and we should step back, relax and take time off to see the little things in life which matter most like our families
Bella
April 23, 2020What a lovely poem, this is such great post. thank you for posting this. adore it!!
Dominique Brooks
April 23, 2020What a lovely and insightful poem! I have those thoughts too. I especially try to spend more time chatting with my senior son — he makes fun of me for it. I have found that I am so much busier than I was before!
Tracy
April 23, 2020These are exactly the kind of roller-coaster emotions I’ve been having too. But I’m trying to let some things go and just sit down and play with my kids and read books. Might as well get the most out of this crazy situation, right?
Geetha
April 23, 2020Nice poem based on current days. Thanks for sharing!
Fatima Torres
April 23, 2020I strongly believe there’s a lot of opportunities with this quarantine. A change in careers maybe? A change in how we treat each other? Maybe even a change in ourselves. I’ve noticed I wasn’t giving myself the right self-care. I’ve been able to read more, connect with more people and even catch up with others.
the joyous living
April 23, 2020what a terrific poem! I especially loved this stanza:
On my way to the kitchen, I spot her out the window,
Bouncing the ball against the door;
I realized that she looks so lonely,
Maybe I could take a break and play with her more.
as a daughter, I would have loved to have my mom come out and play w/ me when I was your daughter’s age.
katrina Kroeplin
April 23, 2020life has been so different for sure. i’m praying things will start to change soon. i know tention is high in our house a lot of days and it’s so hard.
Sarah Ann
April 23, 2020This is such a good poem, you’ve summed up quarantine perfectly! It’s hard to think back to the days rushing around and constantly busy, seems like it was so long ago! And although it is difficult just now, I’m so glad we are all safe – it’s all we can wish for just now.
Reese Woods
April 23, 2020I love the vulnerability you express here. Self-quarantine can carry so much personal guilt/pressure from ourselves to perform at a higher level right now.
Stacie Connerty
April 23, 2020I REALLY love this poem! It sums up the past month or so perfectly. It has been stressful, but lockdown has also created some very special moments that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Stacie Connerty
April 23, 2020Nice poem, and I love the sentiment. The past month or so has been very challenging, but sprinkled within that time there have been moments that I would not trade for anything.
Angelica Sereda
April 23, 2020You’re so right, all we can do is all that we can do. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions for sure.
Soph
April 23, 2020This is beautiful and so relatable- I hope you’re keeping well despite what’s going on and all of the additional stress!
Soph – https://sophhearts.com x
Catalina
April 23, 2020It’s a beautiful poem. It’s exactly what we are living today. Oh, yes all moms have more to do now!
Kate
April 23, 2020I’ve always loved poetry and as a child wanted to be a poet. This piece was very inspiring and reflective of the times we are in. The conclusion to do something with a plan instead of wallowing was very impactful.
Sherry
April 22, 2020This quarantine has been an adjustment but I believe, in the end, we will be better for it.
“What if the point of this quarantine,
Was to give us a chance to appreciate what we’ve got”
These lines ring quite true for me.
Sara | mshealthesteem.com
April 22, 2020We truly are in this together. Thank you for your lovely poem. Wishing you and your family well <3
Valerie
April 22, 2020I love this. Things are a mess right now, but I am appreciating the break and time for personal reflection. Worrying about money is something I’m good at, but I am leaving it all up to whatever happens because yes, we are all in this together. Everything will work itself out as long as we don’t forget that.
Celebrate Woman Today
April 22, 2020You are quite a poet, Heather! What a beautiful and powerful way to express your days!
Kim
April 22, 2020I think you just put together what so many mom’s across the world are feeling right now. The Stress, The Joy, The Fear, The Hope.. so many contrasting feelings and as they keep telling us.. it’s a normal reaction to an abnormal situation. I have taken great pride in how our daughter’s have stepped up to being home schooling bff’s to their kids while keeping in touch with us old folks (me!) learing out our windows to see if their instacart delivery is here yet. Kudos to the parents of the world who are juggling, laughing and embracing the moments in the best way they can.
Lisa Joy Thompson
April 22, 2020Each week brings new revelations and new highs and lows. We’re finding things we love and things we hate. But I love your sentiments and these will be great to look back on.
chad
April 22, 2020In all honesty, the first week was a little rough but now my wife and I are loving it and making use of all the extra time we have.
Jamie
April 22, 2020What a great way to keep the memories forever. I love it.
Amber Myers
April 22, 2020So true. I am appreciating this time, but I’m also one of those people who needs alone time. So this has been tough!
Cristina Petrini
April 22, 2020It’s so beautiful for how you wrote these thoughts …
Talya Stone
April 22, 2020Love this! This absolutely sums up my life right now. It’s been one crazy ride and continues to be!
GiGi Eats
April 22, 2020I take this quarantine one day at a time and honestly, that mindset and way have living have worked just fine for me. I know this is going to be the new normal for a long while, so I am just embracing this so I don’t set myself up for disappointment.
Jessica Collazo
April 22, 2020This quarantine will make us appreciate what we take for granted every day. Like family some quality time with them
Ashlee
April 22, 2020I love this poem so freaking much! It’s the same for I think everyone right now. I don’t have children, but it was the same with my niece, nephew and my cousin. Took time from stressing about what I don’t have to enjoy them. Let the problems fix themselves, and playing with them brought me so many ideas on how to fix the problems, because I was relaxed and just happy. We all have to use this enforced time wisely.
Heather
April 22, 2020I love that outlook, Ashlee! It’s true. We forget how much joy there is in being a kid for a bit!