Text & Image

How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

Oh! It's Tuesday again! How time flies when you are locked down and can't go anywhere. ... I submitted this photograph for the Newton Community Pride photography competition. ... This is what I wrote for my contest submission: "From the beginning of the Covid lock-down, I sewed more than 350 masks—asking only that recipients donate to the Newton Food Pantries. After completing each batch, I would tape labeled packages to our front door. When friends, neighbors, and others, came to pick up their masks, I would open the door a few inches, just enough to hear one another. I cherish those visits, as mask-making seemed like my only personal contact to the outside world. This photo was taken in early spring, less than one month into lock-down." When I look at it now, it seems like the distant past. Not that we aren't still locked down, but an endless cold and rainy spring ended with extremely hot summer weather, changing my mood from down and dreary to one of hope--until, of course, I remember what's really going on. ... Fortunately, the days are longer now. That's the good news. Difficult news is that almost everyone has been remarking how tough they think it will be once our days begin to darken. Technically, post-solstice, our days ARE darkening earlier. I refuse to acknowledge shorter days until after Labor Day!