Simultaneous Struggles

Exhibition Announcement:

As part of a First Friday event, the York Jewish Community Center was planning to hold a reception tonight for their latest art exhibition. Since that gathering was cancelled a virtual exhibit is currently available online. As a featured artist, you can view a few of my pieces and learn about Paper Meditations on the JCC website. In addition, you will see many talented artists' works from the York Art Association.

So let’s talk about the last six weeks. We have experienced weeks of building stress and uncertainty about our social and economic future. We have spent time researching questions about our new situation and our lives have been disrupted. We have faced emotional upheaval. We are trying to take one day at a time. Of course I am talking about the pandemic but I am also talking about a personal situation I have been dealing with at the same time.

I have been so lucky to have an elderly parent that was able to live on her own, well into her nineties but that luck ran out on February 27.  To make a long story short, since that time, my mother has been in the hospital, then rehab, and is now a resident in a nursing home. She has been very ill. She has gotten better. She is still suffering with many physical issues with some days better than others. I call her five times a day. She has not had a visit from friends or family since March 12 due to the virus. Her house, my childhood home, is for sale. Needless to say, this situation with an aging parent would be stressful enough without coinciding with a worldwide crisis.

I am staying tough. Mom taught me that. I will get through this with the support of my  family, friends and my art, which has been a blessing to escape to.

Christine