Anxiety and the Coronavirus

I may not be suffering from the Coronavirus (yet), but I am suffering from mental anxiety caused by the Coronavirus.  I've recently discovered that walking and laughter are the best medicine for my illness.  Since nothing else in Italy is going hand in hand these days, I've found that these two make quite a nice pair. 

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about what was in the big white cloud.

I'm really a runner not a walker, but for the last few days walking has seemed a bit less stressful.  I'm afraid of a running injury that might call for a trip to the hospital....a place most of us are tyring to avoid at the moment.  And if I run a bit faster than usual and feel short of breath, I'll be sure it's a new respiratory problem.  So, for the time being, I'm not embarrassed to be a walker.

A friend invited me for a walk the other day and I warned her that I was a bit nervous.  I was happy when she said that she was nervous, too, because things are always safer with two healthy wackos. I kept my glasses on and tied my red bandana around my neck like Howdy Doody.  It was right there ready to pull up over my mouth and nose at any time.

We chose to walk on country roads.....she stuck to one side and I stuck to the other.  It seemed ridiculous.  But there's no sense in going out for a breath of fresh air if you're constantly in panic that maybe the air's not so fresh.

When I walk alone I prefer the countryside.  I don't have to worry about bumping into anyone and trying to casually pull up my bandana.  I like to walk through the vineyards and olive groves  talking TO and laughing AT myself. 

On the way home today I opted for the shortcut.  Not because it's shorter, but because it's a long set of stairs up to an old church on the top of a hill.  It's shady in the summer and a nice place to stop to stretch.  When I got to the bottom of the stairs today there was a closed gate.  I'm not sure if it's always been open and I've just passed right through without noticing or if it's new.  But having left home without my Coronavirus Emergency Kit a closed gate was a problem. 

Houston, we've got a problem.

If I opened it I'd have to walk home with a possibly infected glove and try to remember not to touch my face.   Or should I remove the glove and infect my hand and put the glove back on until I got home?  But the idea of a possibly infected hand instead of only a possibly infected glove was too much.  And maybe I'd take the risk and it would be locked anyway.  The best decision seemed to be turning around, adding the extra two kilometers and considering it part of my Coronavirus Weight Loss Program.