As I write this column, there is just about two weeks left in Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Home. Stay Safe.” order, issued based on what experts such as Dr. Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease believe is the best way we know right now to reduce our exposure to the coronavirus. However, just because we need to be physically distant from each other, doesn’t mean we can’t remain socially connected with our family, friends, neighbors and loved ones.
I think it’s safe to say that there’s at least once piece of technology that we all share, and that’s the telephone. I encourage you to use it and use it often. Just the other day, a volunteer that I work with at PVM called me out of the blue just to see how I was doing. It felt good to know she was thinking about me. A few days before that, a Village Board member called me and left a message on my voicemail. She said there was no need to call back. She had just called to say hi and make sure I was doing ok. Again, it felt good to know that somebody, particularly somebody who isn’t a family member, was thinking about me during this crisis. So pull out your phonebook and make some calls and not just to your family, but to that person you’ve been meaning to call but until now just haven’t gotten around to it.
If you happen to have some additional technology available to you such as a computer, smartphone or tablet and you have internet access then you have a window to the world through which you can connect with others more than you probably ever thought possible. And you can do so all without leaving the relative safety of your home.
Zoom, for example, is all the rage right now. It’s a web-based video conferencing service that people across the globe are using to connect with each other in creative and inventive ways. My kids, who are grown, have been using it to play a weekly game of trivia with each other and their friends like they used to when the bars were open. This past Easter I know of people who used it to have Easter dinner with each other and I know of many families who used it for their Passover Seder. It’s fairly easy to use and right now it’s free, so if you’d like to check it out go to https://zoom.us.
Of course social media is also very popular. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter seem to be the most popular. A lot of people are sharing stories, pictures and videos, some of which are very moving and sad; some are motivating and inspiring; and some are silly and entertaining. If you have an account of your own on any of these platforms, you can share your own stories, pictures, and videos and can share and exchange comments on what you see. One important thing to keep in mind, however, is that it’s not very wise to believe everything you see, hear and read on the internet.
Being cooped up inside all day can start to drive you a little crazy even if you do regularly talk on the phone to your family and post to social media like a pro. Thanks to a few clever museums, aquariums and zoos, however, those of you with a computer, smartphone or tablet and internet access can ‘leave your house’ without leaving your house by going on a virtual tour or field trip.
For example, you can tour many of the exhibits at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum by going here: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour. You can watch sharks swim around at the Aquarium of the Pacific here: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/exhibits/webcams/webcam_shark_lagoon. And, you can check out the giraffes at the Houston zoo by going to: https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/giraffe-feeding-platform.
One thing you’ll need to at least initially bring with you when you take these tours is your patience. It may take you a little while to figure out what to click and how to maneuver through these virtual experiences. I know it did for me, but don’t give up. It won’t be too long before you’ll master the necessary skills and open up hours of fun and wonder.
So as you can see, though we may currently need to stay physically distant from each other during this crisis, there’s no need for us to socially disconnect from each other or from the world. Stay safe and stay well!
