After 142 days, I finally was able to see a friend of mine in-person. I am still on cloud 9 even though we did not hug each other hello or goodbye.
Now before I get a lot of messages asking "why do you stay in your house if you will let people in?" let me be very clear:
We stayed at least 6-10 ft apart.
We wore masks the entire time except when eating and we distanced even more for that.
We ate outside.
We asked her to use our "quarantine bathroom" with a separate set of deep clean rules.
We never touched each other (which took way more willpower than I thought it would).
After my friend left, my husband and I cleaned all of the surfaces she touched with help from her, reminding us which faucet handle she used to wash her hands, etc.
I am hoping that other friends and family will be able to adhere to these same protocols to keep us all safe and so we can see more of our loved ones sooner rather than later.
But guys, my friend and I got to see each other. In person. And although we have been talking on the phone and zooming along with the rest of the world, it was just so good to be in the same space. Although she needed to come to our space, she took all the precautions needed to make sure it was truly as safe as we could possibly make it for all involved.
Although a joke was made about "quality of life" over "quantity of life," there is so much truth in the need to take the least risky option to have your emotional needs met. We need to learn to live with this disease in our midst. I am still stymied at how long I have been able to sequester away from the rest of the world--and I hope, pray, and will that more direct answers will be found every day. Until then, make sure you are finding the friends for whom the miles don't matter, the time is irrelevant, and people with whom you can just pick up where you left off.
Thank you, beautiful girl, for making the trip and taking the precautions. I love you.
Prepare, don't panic.
-Allison
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