Today was a better day.
I feel almost embarrassed writing that sentence. Describing today as “better” means that the other days have been… less so. As someone who tends to present with a generally positive mood, I worry sometimes about showing a different side. The darker, struggling version of myself – the Castor to my Pollux, or perhaps, vice versa – is ever-present, despite remaining beneath the surface most of the time. And, though I’m well aware of the benefits of revealing that side, the admission itself still feels awkward.
My challenges are hardly unique. I spent thirteen years leaving my apartment for work each morning. Anyone suddenly working at home every day can empathize with the struggle to adjust. The pandemic has shifted my paradigm of compartmentalizing out household chores and my son’s school assignments to one where I face both simultaneously each day. Continue reading “Masking the Struggle to Adjust During the Pandemic”