Stay at Home

Ontario’s new COVID-19 restrictions were announced a few days ago.

They can be summed up in three words: “Stay at home.” (As is my habit, I’m oversimplifying matters. To get, as you should, the details about this province-wide state of emergency, click here.)

Despite the measures that were already in place, the COVID-19 numbers in Ontario have risen quickly. When I stop to look at the data and really think about what’s happening—and I don’t as often as I should because I’m following the rules as best I can and have enough to be anxious about—it’s terrifying. Thank goodness that vaccines are now being administered to priority groups; thank goodness that vaccines will likely be more widely available soon; let’s hope that the stay-at-home measures most recently announced will be obeyed in the meantime and will make a tangible difference to the rate of spread.

I know I should probably be annoyed about the stuff I can’t do right now, but I’m (usually) fine with the reality that I’ll have to spend almost all of my time in my apartment for the foreseeable future.

First, the obvious—this is a pandemic, and I have to do my part, like it or not.

Second, I wasn’t able to be at home for much of last year.

We were sitting together on the couch after dinner a few nights ago, reflecting not on COVID-19 but on how nice it is to live together again, when my husband said something that keeps running through my head.

“Life is much better at home.”

Indeed. Life is much better at home, with the person I love. I guess the “at home” will continue being pretty literal for a while longer.