My neighbors are festive sorts of people. They like to use any excuse they can to celebrate. So it should have been no surprise to me when fireworks started lighting up the night sky last night in honor of Memorial Day.

Instead, I was confused.

I looked over at my husband and asked, “do you have any idea why there are so many fireworks going off?”

He thought I was joking. Sadly, I was not.

COVID-19 has put me and many others into a strange sort of time warp.

After a while, the monotony of day-in-day-out total sameness really gets to you for a while. I find myself forgetting what day it is, what holidays are coming up, even what month it is.

Every day is the same. So everything blends together. It’s hard to tell one day apart from the next.

But this is dangerous ground to be treading.

It’s important to celebrate, to remember, to commune. These are innate to our very humanity, and without them for prolonged periods of time, we will lose a part of ourselves. I do believe that part of the reason there are increased rates of depression, anxiety, divorce, and more is because many of us have forgotten how to celebrate. We have forgotten how to remember and pursue good things, how to forge close relationships with other people.

I urge you, do not forget.

Find reasons to celebrate

Make whatever effort needs to be made to help you remember.

Set alerts in your calendar to remind you about upcoming special events. Troll the internet for creative ways to celebrate. Ask your friends and family for inspiration. Set up regular video calls with your loved ones. Make silly videos for people’s birthdays. Try out a video messaging app like Marco Polo.

We must stay together, despite our distance. We must honor people’s successes, remember their sacrifices, and celebrate small victories. That is the only way we can get through this time healthy and sane.

I learned my lesson this Memorial day. I will not forget, even though the days might drag on in a never-ending monotony. Already planning something big (and responsibly socially-distanced) for the next holiday!