Chapter Five: Perhaps this isn’t the worst thing?
April 10, 2020
Dear Diary,
It is progressively harder to keep track, but today marks a full month of quarantine. My governess duties are more and more manageable and I am very happy to report that my French is improving dramatically by the day! One of the more humbling realizations I have had during this ordeal is that despite scoring a 5 on my high school AP French exam, my actual proficiency was apparently well below that of the average second grader. This was not lost on Mistress Olivia and was really starting to have a detrimental impact on my credibility as a governess, so this rapid-fire improvement could not have been more timely.
To be honest, Diary, I am slowly adjusting to this life and starting to appreciate it. I most certainly do not miss waking up and combatting LA-rush hour traffic twice daily. I most certainly do not miss the hectic pace of our previous life, which made nightly family dinners nearly impossible. I most certainly do not miss the baseball practices, early morning games, gymnastics lessons, UCLA sports or any of the crazy scheduling we created for our lives that often caused more stress than anything else.
I do miss the company of our friends, but am grateful that there are virtual platforms that make connecting still possible. And, let’s be honest, there is something kind of nice about socializing from the comfort of your living room couch in your most comfortable footwear.
Of course, I would trade it all back to be the way we were before and to erase the pain and suffering that this pandemic has caused. But this year’s Passover Seder was all the more poignant and its virtual nature not likely to be forgotten any time soon. I have similarly high hopes for this Sunday’s virtual Easter brunch with my side of the family.
Very truly yours,
Maya