Lessons from COVID While Traveling: Lockdown is a State of Mind

I just got back from a three and a half week cruise in the UK.

I generally love traveling.

This time not-so-much.

Some of the highlights (lowlights?) of the trip included: lost luggage (and subsequently walking around a luxury cruise in pajama-like clothing), sea sickness, a pulled back, and last, but certainly not least, COVID, which kept my sister-in-law and I, along with 44 other cabins, in isolation for most of the trip.

At one point I found myself whining loudly, out loud, to no one in particular, "I want to go home!"

While the trip was meant to be 18 full days of sightseeing, exploring and adventure, the universe had other plans, which included a lot of sleeping and coughing.

Fortunately, in between being sea sick and getting COVID, I did manage to get off of the ship a few times.

As always, travel provided some poignant moments.

Traveling on a very old, very slow train through hilly small towns in Wales, locals waved and smiled as we passed by.

"Hello fellow human, I see you, I recognize you, I acknowledge you."

It struck me.

How lovely. How simple. How refreshing. How pure.

And yet, how uncommon.

We are so stuck our daily lives, with our routines, our busyness, our self-imposed rules, our "us against them" attitudes.

We have built our own cages, willing walked in, and closed the gate behind us.

We have locked others out, but we have locked ourselves in.

A good reminder after I got out of isolation from COVID.

A reminder for eye contact, a smile and nod as I pass someone on the street.

"Hello fellow human, who happens to be here at this particular spot on the planet at this exact time in the history of the world as I am, I see you, I recognize you, I acknowledge you, I AM you, and you are me."

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.