A year ago I had a life worth living. I had work I valued. After almost 20 years living here in Franklin County, I had many good friends and relationships I’d developed over a period of time working in the community as a reporter and photographer.
I worked at the Montague Reporter, knew people at the Gill-Montague School district from covering the School Committee meetings for eight years, as well as people in the town government. I knew people in the theater through my work covering community theater and photography for the Silverthorne Theater Company, but also artists, musicians, and people within the church community. I had joined the choir at All Souls UU Church of Greenfield years ago and fairly quickly became part of the Social Justice Committee, helping to work with others on their annual Anti-Racism Film Festival.
All of this added to my feeling that I was living a good life in a supportive, loving community.
Many of my friends are in their seventh decade of life, as am I. The Town of Greenfield goes out of its way to provide space and activities for senior citizens to keep us occupied and engaged in life. There’s the new Senior Center, the many exercise classes at the Greenfield YMCA. For intellectual stimulation, there’s the Senior Symposium offered by Greenfield Community College, plus opportunity to take free classes there. Greenfield’s Market (aka the Co-op) where I often found friends to chat with over coffee, was a warm welcoming space to gather informally or meet a friend for lunch.
Like all other businesses in town, a lot of that has changed due to COVID-19 constraints. All these things were there to make sure as people aged, they stayed active and had lots of opportunities to connect socially with others so they wouldn’t sit home alone and fall into a life of isolation.
Since the city closed down in mid-March that is what our lives have become. Most of my friends don’t go out at all except perhaps for a walk. I have continued to shop for myself, always safely, and I do feel this community takes the virus seriously.
In my experience, people are generally respectful of the rules put in place to keep us safe, with mask wearing and keeping distance from others. Most places provide hand sanitizers at the door. They have arranged things inside their stores to protect workers and customers. All that said, the effect on all of us, but especially the elderly, has been substantial.
I actually have no sense of going anywhere outside these few small towns in my orbit. After the last snow storm I ended up with a dead battery in my car. When the man came from AAA to replace it, he asked me how much I drive. I didn’t understand the question at first, but then I told him generally, I drive around town; the grocery, pharmacy, occasionally further to see a doctor. He explained that to keep my car battery well charged, I needed to drive at least a half hour out and back a few time a week. I asked him where would I go? I couldn’t imagine where it might be safe to go beyond Greenfield or Turners Falls. Even Shelburne Falls seemed too far for me.
Most days I stay home, go out only to walk my dog. She is a new addition to my home, the only one keeping me out of depression and isolation. My puppy has been good company but she is not much of a conversationalist.
I used to be quite a talker but now I find I don’t have much to say. Except to say that I truly hope this will all end soon. It is hard on everyone, I know. I don’t think most people realize just how hard it is on those of us without anything to do but sit home and wait for when it’s safe for us to go back to living our lives again.
The vaccines offer some hope for the future but I do hope people will be respectful of mitigation efforts as we move forward, to save lives and consider those whose lives have been so disrupted by this virus. We all need to work together to stop its spread and keep everyone safe.
Ellen Blanchette is a resident of Greenfield.