Day 26: I don't know you, but I miss you.
Today’s subject line comes from a note Syona A. wrote in. I think it’s a beautiful way to sum up the weird emptiness that’s settled in over the last couple of weeks—here in Brooklyn, the streets are empty like I’ve never experienced before. I’ve personally never been one to talk to strangers much, but I find myself missing the presence of other people—just generally—more than I could have imagined. I don’t know you, but I miss you.
Think of all the people who’ll be happy to see you when this is all over, even those you haven’t met yet.
Here are a few notes people have been sending in:
From Nick A.:
I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I have pretty good control over my blood sugar and all of that and am pretty healthy and in shape, but I've been absolutely floored by how many people in my life, from all over my life — literally all over, a friend in Norway reached out the other day via text to make sure I had enough insulin on hand to last me a little while — have been reaching out and taking the extra time to make sure that I, as a person with a pre-existing medical condition that probably makes me susceptible to complications with COVID-19, am staying safe and social distant and all that. We all know somebody who might need help right now, and I am definitely not one of those people at the moment, but it's been really, really moving to have so many people thinking about my well-being and reaching out to check in and see how they can help. Be one of those people for somebody in your life right now. Even if they don't need your help, they'll appreciate you checking in. I know I have.
From Melissa K.:
My community was already shaken by an EF-3 tornado that tore through on March 3rd. We went from everyone coming out en masse to help, to literally all of us isolating in our houses nearly overnight. I'm scared for my friends who have small businesses or restaurants because no sooner as they were cleared to open from the tornado that they had to close for Coronavirus. It's an unsettling time here in Nashville, but we're also strong so I hope we can all pull through.
Tiffany U. shares a recipe: “It is certainly not exotic but it is something I make whenever I want to feel like a care free kid (my mom made and continues to make them all the time) but also when I want a treat in less than 20 minutes.”
Rice Krispy treats (with peanut butter!)
12 oz mini marshmallows
1/2 stick of butter
6 cups rice krispy cereal
3/4 - 1 cup of peanut butterMicrowave marshmallows and butter for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for 1 additional minute. Working quickly, add cereal and peanut butter to the bowl and mix. Spread in a 9x13 pan and try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting.
Let's sign off with a Corgi working from home, via Julie W.
Stay safe out there, or in there, as the case may be. When we meet again, we’ll be down to Day 24.🌸