(Editor’s note: With the COVID-19 pandemic one-year mark already observed, we asked members of the WhipCity Wordsmiths to share their thoughts on how their lives have changed – perhaps forever – and as always – their insight into every day life is illuminating. Today’s submission in the ongoing writers’ series is by Susan Buffum.)
WESTFIELD-Susan Buffum is a local author and artist residing in the city.
She is the cofounder, with daughter Kelly Buffum, of the WhipCity Wordsmiths authors/writers social and support group, and is a director of ArtWorks of Westfield.
Buffum has numerous novels, story anthologies, and novellas to her credit, and is known for her pen and ink/colored pencil wildlife, black squirrel, cat and dog drawings. Prints of her artwork are available in her Etsy shop BicycleCity Artworks.
Her books are available on Amazon and Kindle.
If you have an interest in writing, she can be contacted at [email protected].
Her submission is titled “Lessons Learned During This Pandemic.”
Lessons Learned During This Pandemic
About a year ago I returned to work in a multi-provider medical office after working only two weeks from home. I was the only person working at one end of the building, so I didn’t bother putting many lights on, just the two above my work area. Walking through the nearly empty building (there were only six of us working in the entire office at the time) was often eerie. I learned that it’s rather creepy to work in a big office when you’re used to being with 25 to 35 people on a daily basis. Walking around a dim corner into a fairly dark hallway and unexpectedly coming face to face with a masked person can literally scare you half to death. Lessons learned from that experience was to leave a few more lights on even if there’s no one around who needs them, and I missed my coworkers more than I thought I would.
Susan Buffum is a local author and artist, and cofounder of the WhipCity Wordsmiths. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Lesson two was that when you have an only child who lives in the same town, but in her own home, it is like having an only child who lives on the moon. Quarantining and maintaining social distancing throughout last year due to my being in the workplace and her being an essential worker in her workplace, with both of us potentially being exposed to persons who may or may not have been exposed to COVID, meant that we couldn’t see one another. Texting, messaging, and Skyping did not fulfill that need human beings have to feel connected to family and friends. There were sensory and emotional deprivations that were not being satisfied by technology, although I have thought about how much worse it would have been if we didn’t have all the communications technology we have today. So, another lesson learned was to be grateful for advancements in technology that allow us to stay connected.
I think the greatest lesson learned during the pandemic was how many generous, helpful, talented, and amazing people we have in our community and throughout communities across the entire country and around the world. Masks were hard to find at first, then all the industrious, talented, and thoughtful persons who could sew began making masks from a handful to creating mini home industries for mask making. Some sold the masks they produced while others simply gave them away, or donated them. When faced with a health crisis like nothing we’ve ever experienced before people expressed a desire to help one another. That was reassuring in a world suddenly fraught with uncertainties, rife with misinformation, and provided with little guidance. I also saw people offering to help shut-ins, the disabled, the elderly, and others by doing their grocery shopping and running their errands. There are still a lot of kind hearts in the world.
Susan Buffum said “back in the day” ladies’ lingerie was often seen drying over the shower rod. During this pandemic, it’s now masks drying on the rod. (SUSAN BUFFUM PHOTO)
After a year of mask wearing I’ve learned how to look people in the eye again and smile behind the mask. I’ve learned to overcome my often overwhelming claustrophobia and wear a mask. It was not an easy thing to fight down panic attacks at having my nose and mouth covered, but I reminded myself again and again how close I came to losing people I care about to COVID. COVID basically suffocates a person. I told myself that I didn’t want to die like that. Wearing a mask would not kill me. A year later I’m still wearing a mask every day at work and when I go anywhere outside of my home. I don’t like it, but I learned that I could conquer that one specific phobia.
The last thing I learned was this — never sneeze into your mask when you’re sneaking some Raisinets at your desk at work — very disgusting!
