The United States of an African

Present plans…a bit of an oxymoron isn’t it? By nature I am an explorer. I’ve always been curious, always been adventurous, always been a bit of a busy body. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also become a homebody, can be a bit of couch potato; a loner. I’ve realized that I’m the type of person who contradicts herself. I’m neither this nor that. My interests, hobbies, personality are all over the place. One of my friends recently called me a chameleon; That I easily blend into whatever environment I find myself. To an extent, he’s right. But as much as I seem to blend, I have never really fit in. So what’s the point of this seemingly narcissistic introduction? Well, the Stay At Home order in Michigan has been a bit of a struggle. It’s easy but hard at the same time. In my last post I talked about how I was already prepared and comfortable to be in self-isolation. But as I have mentioned I am a natural explorer. Staying at home and following a routine day by day is not natural…for me. I need to satisfy the part of me that loves to wander.

Let me offer a bit of context here. A lot of people have protested that the order set out by the Michigan governor seems to have taken away their freedom. I’m going to call them out…privileged and entitled. I get it, you can’t take your motorboat out into the lake, you can’t buy paint, you can’t do gardening work. While I don’t really understand some of the restrictions, instead of complaining I’m working my way around them and adapting to the current normal. It should be noted that I’m not saying one shouldn’t protest and voice complaints. We do live in a democratic society. But if all you’re going to do is complain, then you’re being a baby. Grow up.

Back to the purpose of this blog post. I recently and spontaneously drove to the west coast of Michigan, back to the sand dunes. This time around I went with my brother and his friend. Thankfully, the state parks are still open. The beauty about these nature parks is that they are huge and open. So when it comes to social distancing, there are barely any risks. The only risk would be another human deciding to approach you. We brought our masks and hand sanitizer.

This earth is filled with undisturbed spaces. And honestly with the stay at home order, there are even fewer people outside. During this time of the year, the sand dunes are particularly empty, which made them perfect for an escape out of the house. I was able to safely practice my photography, and get a great workout (climbing up and down those dunes is not an easy task).

Excuse me as I go slightly off topic. People ruin things. It’s the reason why there are certain laws. It’s because of the stupidity and inconsideration of people. Driving to the coast, we passed a couple of parks that were filled with people. Some people were sat on the grass having group picnics! To me, it didn’t make any sense considering there are loads of other parks that are just as beautiful and empty. A simple google search will point you to “hidden gems”. I understand that it’s human nature to gather, but with the current atmosphere, you have to practice wisdom.

So with that being said, my present plan is to continue to practice wisdom as I make the decision to get some fresh air and explore my surroundings. Be it to go for a walk around my neighborhood or to drive to a park. Here are some tips for practicing social distancing while outside:

1. Keep your distance. Plain and simple. Unless it is absolutely unavoidable to cross paths, find a way to not.
2. Visit lesser known spots. Do your research.
3. Go during unpopular hours. We visited the park in the evening. There were a bunch of people leaving as we got to the dunes. There was still plenty of daylight hours left. The weather was still perfect. Another example for grocery shoppers, go right after senior hour in the morning in the middle of the week. Again, do your research.
4. Don’t be one of the stupid and/or inconsiderate human beings roaming this earth. Don’t litter. Don’t unnecessarily confront people. Respect the earth. Respect your neighbor.

As we wait out this storm, what have you been doing at home…or outside to adjust to the new normal? Remember, this too shall pass.