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As the world has sheltered in place over the past few months, there are have been so many great essays and articles written about our new reality. Yes! Magazine recently published a wonderful collection of short, insightful and poignant essays written by ten people over 60. Here are some “sneak peaks” of a few of them. I invite you to take a look!

The Eyes of My Eyes Have Been Opened

Jane Ganahl, Bay Area, California
Born 1952

With news that oldsters like me are most at risk for the virus, some youngsters have shrugged their shoulders and called COVID-19 the “boomer remover.” Some politicians even suggested that if we seniors really loved our country, we’d go back to work and keep the economy from tanking, damn the dangers. Call it a patriotic suicide. Read more . . .

A Vaccine for Pandemics and Other Global Perils

Mary Kay Jennings, Houston
Born in 1944

On March 12, three months after the unexpected death of my husband, I was in the early stages of trying to work my way through grief when my son texted me from LA suggesting I stay in the house because of the coronavirus. I had just had lunch with a friend and stopped by my local supermarket in Houston, where I found the zombie apocalypse in full force: no meat; no canned soup, beans, or vegetables; no paper goods of any kind; checkout lines 10 deep. Read more . . .

But Now

Robert Skollar, New York City
Born in 1949

I open my eyes, and all I hear is quiet.

Is it middle of the night? Early Sunday morning? Midday Tuesday?
Days, dates, and hours have lost their relevancy.
I find myself asleep in the afternoon, wide awake at 3 a.m. …
But now…
it’s all one long day. Read the essays . . .

Do you have a pandemic essay you'd like to share with others on the blog? If so, click here for submission info. Since I also teach “Writing Through Grief” and “Writing as a Tool to Cope with Anxiety,” if you have an essay related to these topics that you’d like to share, please email it to me.