Okay, here's the thing: I do see the COVID-19 pandemic is a deathly serious matter and I understand the importance of social distancing and making genuine efforts to "slow the curve". Unfortunately, I find myself incapable of abiding by the #StayHome (or #STAYTHEFHOME) mantra that has dominated the social discourse on Twitter and other social media networks. I'm fortunate, I work at a job I love and my job does not feel like a job at all to me. As I have heard it said, "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life," and for me, this job is that job. I'm also fortunate that I work at an organization that genuinely wants to do right by its employees and in the spirit of wanting to stem the pandemic, allows its employees to work remotely (or home). I cannot adhere to this recommendation--I need to be in the office (or more specifically, I need to be out of the house). I personally believe that while I may be leaving the house each morning to come to the office, to grab a bite to eat, or to run an errand; I do practice good social distancing. When at the office, I am generally the only person in the office suite and I keep myself isolated within own office. When I go out to eat, I make an effort to go through the drive-thru and if I do have to go in to carry-out, I limit my interactions with employees as much as possible. I drive by myself, I shop by myself, and I try to do all manner of business in public by myself. In truth, I have been practice social distancing and personal isolation are of my adult life but what I have not been able to do is stay at home. From what I observe, most people would love to work from home; they prefer to work from home--not me. Home is where the distractions exists, home is where I'm expected to divide my attention between work and family, and home is where I'm the least happy. I love having a place to call home and I do care for my parents but at times, they are my happiness's worst enemy because home is where the drama exists; it is where the misunderstanding of my profession exists. When I'm home, there exists the possibility of me being asked to do something that I don't want that does not benefit me. Home is where the possibility that I have to endure one of the greatest sources of personal displeasure exists. So, despite my best efforts while in public (or not at home) to socially distance myself from others, I'm made to feel like I'm trash because I'm fighting to preserve my mental health, my productivity, my joy. I have a lot of anxiety about coming by the office each morning to work but that anxiousness has nothing to do with my job or the ongoing pandemic; my anxiety is agitated by the fear that I will be judged harshly by my fellow progressive peers for not adhering to the #StayHome mantra. All I want to do is come to my office and work in peace.
