…That try women’s souls.
You can tell because it’s all over Facebook and everyone knows if it’s on Facebook, it must be true.
For example ~ A “selfie” video post of a woman. It was dark where she was, the only light on her face came from her phone, casting an eerie glow to her face and her white hair. She had an important message and, from what I’m gathering, it is one shared by women everywhere that are now quarantining with their husbands.

She whispered in the dark. Like everyone else, she was quarantining with her loved ones. At first she thought the whole idea was kind of nice, like a nice long weekend. Then it was madness. She realized she wanted a man in her life, but not in her house. The rant seems to have been prompted by her husband asking her where the spoons were. Her reply, “For the love of God! We’ve been married for 34 years! The spoons are where they’ve always been, in the silverware drawer!” She was tired of listening to her husband’s favorite song, A Horse With No Name. “Why don’t they just name the horse!” She was tired of watching the Planet of the Apes movies. She was tired and she was hiding in the closet because she figured if her husband couldn’t find the spoons, chances were pretty good that he wouldn’t be able to find her either.

Another post. A picture of a beautifully decorated, clean, empty living room. A young mom posts that she is playing hide and seek with her kids. She told them she would be “it” and they had to go hide and she would find them. And then she sat in her pristine living room and enjoyed the quiet. (I’ve done this one. It works with grandchildren, too!)

And then, closer to home and in person. Our daughter-in-love, Kylene, and I recently had a conversation. Wanting to know if my suspicions that my son has inherited some of my respiratory issues, I asked a simple question. “Does Eric cough every morning?” My simple question released something inside her and her honesty made me laugh. The monotonous tone of her voice was only outdone by the doleful look of exasperation on her face as she answered…”Every.Single.Morning.” And then she continued, “Not only that but, Every.Single.Morning. he gags himself when he brushes his teeth because he shoves his toothbrush too far down  his throat! How many years has he been brushing his teeth?!!!” Evidently, mornings are not my son’s best time.

When I listen to my parents talk about their lives, their memories of the “hard times” are always the fondest. They are always the ones that make them laugh. My Dad and his one pair of shoes that he shared with his two brothers. My Mom and her flour sack nightgowns that her mother made for her and her sisters. These may be the times that try our souls, but how we remember them will be up to us.

Quarantine. It’s really not that big a deal!