Dear Diary: Why one educator 'got outta dodge' before distancing became a thing, and how it helps

CBCCalgarywants to knowhow you are living these days. What are you doing differently? What have you learned, realized or observed?

This instalmentof our series Dear Diary: In a Time of COVID-19comes from Andrea Riquelme. She's an assistant school principal living in Priddis, Alta. This submission has been edited for clarity and length.

I was born and raised in Calgary and am very close to my family, so it felt rebellious to move to Priddis with my husband and eldest son 12 years ago.

I recall wondering at that time if I would feel lonely living out of the city.

We lived in Evergreen prior to moving, and I remember always being alone and feeling anonymous,pushing my son in a stroller on empty streets among pretty houses with the curtains drawn. Cars driving in and out of garages, with very little contact with others. A growing, busy city made me feel very alone.

I have since come to terms with much of that after realizing that by moving away and spending much of my non-working hours with only my immediate family, that I didn't need or miss being around a lot of people.

Today, we speak about social and physical distancing. I have chosen to live that way for many years now.

Being alone, be it riding my bike or walking the dogs on empty country roads, suits me fine. I look at the trees and the sky, forgetting about all of the frightening things.

Will I or someone I love get sick? Will our economy, education, health and social structures come out on the back end of this intact?

I hate saying that I don't know. Not knowing makes me uncomfortable.

I'll just go for a walk, consider the trees and the sky and forget about it for a while.

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