Blog #8 – All Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go

By Brenna Cohoon

This past Sunday was a bittersweet day for a couple of reasons.  Obviously, it had to be an isolated day that we typically spend with our extended family.  Every year, I look forward to our holiday celebrations together, so I was sad that we didn’t get to see our relatives on such a joyous day.

Sunday was also what I realized could very well be my last Easter at home, at least for a few years.  Due to my classes and meet schedule next year, it probably won’t be realistic for me to come home to celebrate this holiday with my family.  Thankfully, I will be able to spend the day with my soon-to-be teammates.

My family and I decided to wear our Sunday best despite being stuck inside for our small celebration.  We were the textbook definition of the phrase “all dressed up with nowhere to go”.  It was a fun excuse to wear “normal” clothes for the first time in forever, as I’ve been living in pajamas and running clothes for the past several weeks.

It was an unusually laid-back Easter for the four of us, but we made the best of it.  My parents prepared a delicious brunch that we enjoyed after watching Easter Sunday mass on television.  Later in the day, we decided to change back into our comfy clothes and curl up on the couch to watch a movie together (my brother and I saw Parenthood for the first time and highly recommend seeing it if you haven’t already).

I finished up the night by getting ahead on some of my homework assignments.  I know, that’s not an exciting way to spend a holiday, but it was the perfect relaxing end to a fulfilling day.  Even though I couldn’t be with all of my family members for a large gathering, I felt everyone’s love through our virtual communication.

Last weekend was another lesson for me to never take anything for granted.  I love spending time with my extended family, but every time I see them I know that we’ll be together again soon.  From now on, I need to truly live in the moment when I am with my family and savor every second we have together.  You never know when something unexpected like this pandemic will happen and keep you separated.

It has now been over a month since everyone’s lives were flipped upside down by the coronavirus.  That’s hard for me to believe, but then again, some days in quarantine feel like an eternity.

This whole situation has resulted in me experiencing a roller coaster of emotions, and I’m sure that many others feel the same.  Despite the negative feelings that tend to linger from time to time, I always try to have a positive outlook on all of this.  This optimism doesn’t come easy, but it does give me a greater sense of ease in the moments that are really stressful or upsetting.

One thing I have started to realize is how proud I am of myself for learning to really enjoy running on my own every day.  Obviously, I love to run.  Otherwise, I simply wouldn’t do it.  However, I found that I was easily bored on those first few solo runs of quarantine.  I was so busy focusing on the aspects of running that I missed (like being with my team and getting to race), that I forgot to enjoy some other reasons why I love the sport (such as getting fresh air and having the privilege to move my body).

Thankfully, I have been able to appreciate running in some different ways than usual in recent days.  I’ve always viewed the sport as a way to release my stress, but a lot of that comes from talking with my teammates while running.  Now that I’m out there on my own, I’ve come to enjoy spending time with my thoughts.  I genuinely appreciate the opportunities I get to leave the house and soak up every moment I can outdoors.

I’ve been praying that things can return back to normal in a safe manner as quickly as possible.  When that time comes, whether it be in a few weeks or a few months, I hope that I don’t lose the valuable lessons I have learned throughout this whole fiasco.  Having to experience these times as a teenager seems frustrating in some moments as I think about all of the moments I am potentially missing out on.  I just know that it’s only going to help my generation grow as strong, resilient, empathetic individuals.  That is an experience that no one or nothing, not even a pandemic, can take away from us.