Hello. This is Dr. Sue (Susan Horowitz, Ph.D,) I live in Manhattan, New York, the epicenter of our current pandemic. I say “current” because, this too shall pass – especially if we take care of our health – physical and mental. It’s March, 2020, early spring – one of my favorite times of year. I’ve been spending lots of time in my apartment. I wanted fresh air and a way to connect to the beauty of nature. Social distancing is important, so I decided to go for a solo walk in a local park – no mass transportation, and no crowds. After a short walk in the park, I came across these beautiful fields of daffodils. (Please scroll down for video). These golden-trumpeted flowers reminded me of the ending lines from one of my favorite poems: “I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud” by William Wordsworth, written in the early 19th century. The last line of the poem is: “And then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils.” Wordsworth writes about how, when he is feeling depressed,  (“in vacant or in pensive mood”),  he remembers the daffodils moving in the wind. The memory lifts his spirits and he feels pleasure as he imagines “his heart…dancing with the daffodils.” Many of us are feeling isolated and lonely and bored as we self-isolate to protect our health, and the health of our loved ones and community. This is the wise and generous thing to do. It’s easy to become depressed as the public media and worried friends share frightening statistics and stories – – and interpretations that can lead to personal despair. What can we do? We can take care of our physical health, and by now, we know what to do (social distance, hygiene, etc.) We can take care of our mental and spiritual health. We can manage and limit our exposure to negativity. We can focus on opportunities for growth and learning, on healthy routines, on hobbies, and on beauty. We can enjoy the beauty of nature – either in reality (like my solo walk), in memory (like William Wordsworth’s poem), or virtually (in videos, photographs, and text). I hope you enjoy this video of me and my daffodils! Dr. Sue Shares Uplifting Poem About Daffodils

Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D.

Book: “Queens of Comedy” (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and more!) www.smashwords.com/books/view/219367 Musical: “SssWitch”: www.ssswitch.net  www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos