Lessons Learned
- Christine D'Arrigo
- Aug 10, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 6, 2023
Today marks day 150 of what my neighbor, early on, so aptly termed Weird World. As the roommate and sole caretaker of a high risk young adult, I decided early on to eliminate stress by assuming most risks were unnecessary. Which means that, with the exception of sunrise walks along a main artery (as opposed to the pedestrian-heavy beach and downtown route formerly taken), and two very brief car rides to ensure the continued functioning of my brand new purchase, I have gone nowhere. Not to the grocery store, or the drugstore, or the bank. Nor, much to my dismay, has anyone been allowed to visit (I don’t count the housekeeper who has been sheltering in place with her family; or her handyman husband, who was a lifesaver when a leak in the attic led to the collapse of a bedroom ceiling; or the emergency visit of a masked a/c technician.) All groceries and meds (including my Sauvignon Blanc), and two dinners, have been delivered.
As things have progressed, and I’ve watched my state become both an epicenter and a punchline, I feel vindicated in my caution. I try not to dwell on my anger (but that meme about being the only one who worked on the group project really resonates). And I’ll be damned if I’m going to throw caution to the wind now after doing the hard thing all along. Nope, I’m doubling down. Although I still struggle, I’m beginning to accept that my life has changed profoundly. Which, of course, provides boundless opportunities for learning and growth.
Here, in no particular order, are some of the things I’ve learned:
How to make a fabulous carbonara
That I really do need lists and calendars now
That almost anything can be delivered, and I love it
More than I ever wanted to know about secret societies
That living with the Celtic Warrior Princess has kept me young (and laughing)
That clogged dryer vents are the number one cause of house fires
That you really should look up the message on your dryer display (thanks CWP)
How to make a mobile check deposit
That bottom line: you have to be there for yourself. You’re it.
That I apparently expected to host a lot of parties in my new home
That walking and swimming are my preferred forms of meditation
How to flush an a/c line
That movement is essential not only for mental health but for creativity
That I can read books on my laptop despite it not being my preference
That I love the Honey app
That nobody dies if you miss a routine doctor, dental or vet appointment and you save lots of money, time, and aggravation
How to make pollo alla francese to die for
That you can, and may have to, reinvent yourself more than once
That I definitely prefer being a blonde
That in healing there are seemingly endless layers to be peeled back
That there is something fishy going on with the 37th parallel and UFOs
That so much of my time was previously spent keeping up the image I present to the world
That I will probably have saved enough for the CWP’s first year of college thanks to not keeping up the image I present to the world
How to work the incomprehensible, unintuitive timer for my sprinkler system
That my sister-in-law Kathy (see The Outlaw), who has now added bread baker and farmer to her repertoire, really can do anything
That the CWP’s cosmetology course was a great investment
That I’m a gregarious introvert
Never mind idle hands: an idle mind is the devil’s workshop
That sometimes we hold onto those clothes not in hopes they’ll fit again, but as a reminder of a golden time
That my dog might really be an insomniac toddler with a tapeworm
That the best predictor of future behavior really is past behavior
More than I ever wanted to know about the Golden State Killer
That you need to have at least one friend that you can talk on the phone with for hours
That the book on which The Princess Bride is based is even better than the iconic movie
That overthinking is my superpower
That youth really is wasted on the young
How to reach out
That patience may not come naturally but can be cultivated
That an in-depth character study in acting has much in common with a good revision in writing
That forgiveness is for you, and the most important person to forgive is yourself
That your weight really is a function of calories ingested and expended
That at least one episode a day of a quality sitcom is a must
How to let go
That grief is not linear
That love may not always be enough, but it’s a lot
Please share what you’ve learned.
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