Continued from last blog..............
Returning home was a surreal experience. Choosing Our Alternative State Quarantine was easy as I knew it well. For it was a hotel owned by friends of the family, from 3 generations down.
Going back as far as 30 years, there were many tête-à-tête luncheons at Ma Mason, Gala black tie dinners, high society weddings, annual Flower festival, Book Launches, Fashion shows; and member of Clark Hatch fitness centre. It certainly was a fixture in our lives. Memories of stepping out of the limousine with my 5-inch stiletto heels, into the long marbled steps, sashaying my new Italian outfit, clutching a glittering bag, proudly hanging onto my suave executive hubby in black tie, we looked THE COUPLE.
This time, with second wave Covid-19; beginning of 2021, we arrive from the airport in a van resembling a grey prison vehicle, reminiscent of the film Con Air circa 1997. The Hazmat suited driver complete with visor was visibly separated from us through a thick glass panel.
As the van drove up the elevated path depositing us at the Hotel’s same marbled steps; 6 or 7 Hazmat suited staff greeted us with an orange bag to deposit our shoes and swap them for white bedroom slippers into the lobby. Flashback as if in a movie, those 5-inch stiletto that clicked heavenly expensive sounds into the marbled hall was replaced by towel material fit-all-size slippers, 3 sizes too small for my hubby struggling not to lose it along the way to the lift. How demoralizing, truth of times hit me right in the face.
The lobby facing us in other times, teaming with staff, well turned-out guests, elevator music, lights. The hustle and bustle of a city hotel in holiday season was dark, silent with echoing voices, the once lobby bar with a pianist playing well known tunes in the background looked sad and unused. It had a ghostly eerie effect. As we followed the check-in lady, my mind does the usual. Carradine room? I hope not, for if it was, I would surely make a definitive fuss. Don’t get the ghostly joke? then google it.
Second time quarantine brings a familiar daily routine. Of course, comparisons are instantly made between the first quarantine to the second quarantine. How strict each country observe the rules, or conversely how easy to break them tells the profile of the country’s personality.
What more have I learnt in this second imprisonment? A lot. A staunch liberal, fighting for freedom, democracy, human rights living under dictatorial rule, despising those that bend the influence for their benefit only. Or open arms to a parliamentary republican government that truly adheres to the rule of law, albeit some laws are hard to swallow. Easy to judge where my leanings fall but, yes there is a BUT.
Imprisonment in a confined space for 14 days to stop the pandemic, determines the strength of your backbone, the core of your soul. It is how you use those days to level out strengths and weaknesses. Harder when the outside world is THE dominant screen in your room espousing BBC, CNN, FOX, or Aljazeera their version of the globe’s chaotic state. Trumps psychotic denial, Boris Johnson’s increasing tiers, Xi Jinping’s threat to world health, Putin’s approval rating lowest due to acute economic hardship, and third world Prayuth’s government flip-flopping laws in less than 48 hours…..make for a very discombobulated world of confused priorities.
I learnt some very sustaining qualities from this second confinement:
I learnt that my patience has no limits. I learnt that pain is life. I learnt to understand the other person’s journey was just as difficult as mine. I learnt that I have a price. I learnt to transform any hate I had in my heart to lower its volume. I learnt that I am part of that heritage/culture that I occasionally despise, and that I should try to help in small ways to change it. I learnt we all lie to cover up mistakes or inadequacies but instead try to teach that transparency has a vulnerable beauty. I learnt that discipline is inborn. And I learnt the art of giving; it escalates the dopamine surge for pleasure and reward.