Dearest Friends,
These are unprecedented times in the world. The coronavirus has stopped us in our tracks. We have been following the guidelines set forth by the CDC, WHO as well as other national, state and local authorities. We are sheltering in place…staying away from our jobs, our children, grandchildren, and beloved friends. This is our new normal, and we don’t know how long this will last.
This is a” first time” event in a century. Like any “first times,” they can be frightening and cause anxiety…first day of school, first date, first job, first time parent…but first pandemic? It doesn’t even sound real. This presents a threat to humanity across the globe. But the first thing that we all need to do is normalize it, understand that it IS our current standard worldwide. Let’s not give power to the pandemic, but rather keep the power in our hands and adapt and adjust to it in the best ways that we can.
We need to watch the latest news and guidelines. We must be informed, but not obsessed because panic will be the enemy of reason. In the words of American physician, writer and philosopher Debasish Mridha, “I can’t control the waves of the ocean, but I can learn to navigate my ship.”
In the meantime, if we don’t know what we are doing, we should do the things we know. Here are some suggestions for how we can help to normalize our current situation and get through this together.
1. Catch up with correspondence…letters, cards, emails, phone calls.
2. Reach out to your friends and neighbors. Find out how you may be of help.
3. Read those books that you heard about but haven’t had the time to spare.
4. Keep a diary or journal and write down your daily thoughts.
5. Go for walks and really look at the blessings of nature around you.
6. Watch the movies or series you haven’t had time to see on television.
7. Discover podcasts.
8. Explore the globe with Google Earth.
9. Learn to meditate.
10. Don’t forget to exercise at home.
11. Take virtual tours through museums online.
12. Learn a new skill or language online.
13. Write down your life story to share with family and friends. The younger generation will get to know who you are and how you came to be “YOU”.
14. Bring the outside in. Check your gardens and make arrangements from flowers and greenery found outside.
15. Write a check to the Los Angeles Food Bank. There are so many Angelenos who will be devastated by job loss.
16. At least once a week, order food to be picked up or delivered from a local restaurant. We need to help them to stay in business.
17. Pick fruits and vegetables if you have them in your garden and share with neighbors.
18. Clean your closets. Put things in bags to be donated when donation centers open again.
19. Paint, draw, doodle.
20. Play board games. Scrabble is great for sharpening your mind. If you are alone, you can play online against a computer.
21. If you like to bake, make two and share one with a friend or neighbor.
22. Open your shades and let the light come into your home.
23. Balance your checkbook.
24. Listen to music and dance as if no one is watching.
25. Virtually meet a friend or two and share what is growing in your garden.
26. Do crossword puzzles or number games to stay sharp.
27. Plant something in your garden or a container. Watch the miracle of life.
28. Now may be the time to rearrange your furniture….several times.
29. Look back at your life with your partner and remember what brought you together.
30. Take time to weed, deadhead and detail your garden.
31. Plan what you will be wearing to our 32nd Garden Tour and Showcase Estate in Autumn.
32. Feel gratitude every day and plan for the future.
I would love to hear what you might be doing to navigate your ship through the waves. Please share your comments and suggestions to me, and I will pass on your ideas to our own community.
Things will get better because they always do. This too shall pass. I ask you to stay in and stay well. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, and I ask that in spite of social distancing, we can all remain connected, close and purposeful.
With great affection,
Patti
RACHEL
DEAR PATTI,
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE ..THANK YOU
Patty Elias
Thank you Patti!! Beautifully said!!
Lisa Zusman
Beautifully stated… thank you for sharing your positive thoughts and ideas.???
Regina Drucker
Dearest Beautiful Patti,
Your letter to ALL is so inspirational in these unprecedented times of Humanity. It is sure too bring comfort to those who may feel alone wile sequestering, it allays any mental anguish which could leave one feeling as stranded on a sinking boat while certain men of a certain ilk deny the deluge. It takes great MORAL COURAGE to speak up, to reach out to help others, to speak up and defend Liberty and Truth, so again thank you for your beautiful letter to ALL.
Sending you, yours and all the Guys and Gals of VRG much Love and Light mixed with a Miracle for Health, Happiness and Home Blessings.
Rhoda
Inspiring message Patti. Thank you!
Shawn
This is wonderful – I work for a private healthcare University and your suggestions are excellent and will be shared not only with faculty members but to our students who are quite young and struggling with the social isolation. Reflection on our lives and future is an outstanding exercise we do not usually take enough time to do –
Thank you!
Patti Reinstein
Shawn,
Thank you so much for your kind comments. We have all been given time to reflect. I hope we can take advantage of it in purposeful ways.
Douglas Erenberg
Looking forward to the Garden Tour…and to thank you personally for your Presidential message????♂️????‼️
Diana Doyle
Hi Patti,
Your message is so heartening and uplifting! I really enjoyed it! I have enjoyed working in the garden, mostly weeding. I love to read and have a number of books stacked up and waiting for my attention. Also did a puzzle which I hadn’t done in a long time. Of course there are still my cleaning of closets to get to but I always delay it. I really should go through photos of when the kids grew up and toss many of them, especially the duplicates.
Janice
Thank you Patty! Looking forward to checking off the list! It seems like an opportunity to recalibrate.
Diane Jenkins
Thank you, Patti, for this inspiring message and wonderful suggestions.
Natalie
This is beautiful message! What great suggestions, Patti!! You are spectacular!
Amy Ward
Makes Me Happy
I make one-of-a kind couture hats that I was going to show at your event in May, which sadly won’t happen. But I want to share a sweet story. One of my clients bought three of my hats a few weeks ago. After her package arrived she sent me a message saying she wears them around the house every day because “It makes me happy”. I don’t know if she dresses up or wears them with her pajamas, but the thought of her not waiting for an occasion to enjoy pretty things in her life made me happy too.
Amy Ward
AwardMillineryDesign.com
Krista Everage
Thank you dear Patty~ you are a beacon of light, beauty and love!!
Gayle Burditt
Dear Patty,
You do not know me, nor I you. But with ur words of beauty and encouragement, you have become my new best friend!
Thanks for all of your ideas and your encompassing message of altruism.
Looking for the opportunity to meet you in August.
Gayle
Patti Reinstein
Gayle,
I am deeply touched by your response. I look forward to meeting you and becoming “Friends”.
Patti
Angela Movassaghi
Dearest Patti,
Thank you for such an uplifting message. You are correct about the predicament we are all in “This too soon shall pass”. Oh but what an opportunity to truly stop and smell the Roses, and to be grateful for all our blessings.
Till soon to all of you wonderful friends…
Clare Wagner
Thank you Patty for your beautiful and encouraging message.
Julia Klein
Wow, that’s quite a “to do” list, Patti! If only I had a few succulents on the East coast that I could paint.
We’re busy at the farm doing all sorts of projects. Our new house construction is on a mandatory hold. Hard to say when it will restart.
Stay safe on that side of the country.
Leslie Tillmann
Dear, Dear Patti and all my friends at VRG!
First of all, I miss you all very much! Rancho Mirage is lovely and we are also trapped at home, but have some great weather to enjoy right now. I have got Rolf in my clutches now to do all the “Honey Do” list and we have reorganized the Laundry room. We have been taking the dog for walks (you need to add “play with the dog” to the list) and I’ve been spending too much time on Pinterest. Hope you all are well and continue to stay so! Hugs to all of you!
xo Leslie
roberta white
every day i dress up makeup hair scarf shoes and of course jewelry , all matches. when ilook in the mirror i say where are you going , i feel good about the day because i am welland my fami;y and friends are well. this is a war and we will win and celebrate . thank you for all your messages roberta white
roberta white
we will all be stronger our houses neater and remember old friends. strange as it seems, i get dressed every morning makeup hair scarf and jewelry.of course everything goes together. i feel go nad the day moves on.
Lisa Dietenhofer
I loved reading your advice. So many opportunities to enjoy the simple beauty in our lives. Thank you for taking the time to consider several of the possibilities and sharing them with us.
Tim Lindsay
I’m working through the list in no particular order, although, finding many benefits you provided us with in your thoughtful and heartfelt article.
Your simply amazing in your work and generous spirit.
Tim
Patti Reinstein
Tim,
I am so grateful to you for your calm stewardship of Virginia’s beautiful estate. You make my job easy!
Patti