PORT STANLEY, ONT. -- The beach at Port Stanley offers calm amidst the growing storm of life and the worries of COVID-19.
Even though people are clearly being told to stay home by health officials, a few are finding their way to the - mostly deserted - beach.
For Lisa Siemens, it was by car.
Pausing to look at the early morning calm waters she shared the thoughts of many: the waves offers solace for the mind.
“It’s just beautiful. I mean when you look at on the water it’s just so peaceful and you just kind of forget about all the chaos that’s going on around us and stuff we see on the news and it’s just relaxing. It’s just kind of perspective I guess.”
Perspective is hard to find for Bill Irvine these days. No relation to the writer, the Port Stanley senior says COVID-19 is frightening.
“I’m 74 years old and I have never seen anything like this in my life. Nothing this bad, it’s just not good.”
But, when near the water, Irvine says his mind is eased, “Down here I forget about everything. That is why I like being on the water.”
Easing the minds of his children, was the goal for Fraser Teeple. The London father brought his two boys to the beach to dig in the cool morning sand, and to play with the new addition to their family, ‘Timber’ the dog.
“It’s empty. Lots of sand to dig in. Lots of space for the kids to run with the dog and everything. And...just peace.”
With his older son Wes, just seven, Teeple says conversations about COVID-19 have been limited to physical distancing.
But still, like most children, he admits they “hear things” and are undoubtedly impacted by the crisis. Hence the healing power of the outdoor air.
“In that sense, it really does give a sense of things being sane and normal, even if they aren’t.”
For those who are in isolation, it may not seem that way right now, but at least there is a likely a window to some fresh air and a reminder of things to still be thankful for.
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