Life During Lockdown: Rick Blakemore
My mother and father divorced when I was six years old. My younger brother John and I moved with our mom to San Diego in the early ’70s, and shortly thereafter she met and married the man who would become our second father, Rick Blakemore. He was younger than our mother, just out of the Navy, and totally committed to John and me. We grew up with essentially two fathers: the dad (Ralph) whom we visited every other weekend in Northern California, and the dad (Rick) we lived with every day in San Diego. It was an example of turning a traumatic event, divorce, into a great way to grow up. Richard (we’ve always called him that even though everyone else in his life knows him as Rick) always encouraged outdoor adventure. So we grew up surfing, fishing in the ocean, and living out in the country in Valley Center, in the North County of San Diego. He was a lifelong car enthusiast who built a successful career in the automotive business, managing several car dealerships. While Richard’s marriage to my mother ended around the time I graduated from college, we’re still very close and try to get together when we can. He’s recently retired, lives with his wife Tori and share with me what he’s thinking about during the pandemic.
1. Give me some highlights and lowlights from your first two months in lockdown mode
So…..wow…I have had an interesting introspective adventure. The highlights and lowlights are basically two sides of the same mortal coin.
I retired about 6 months ago and was looking forward to some travel. The pandemic didn’t really impact me until I realized that travel was out of the question for the foreseeable future. The voluntary isolation gave me enough time to do all the home projects, learn new skills and even spells of boredom.
Being a member of the population segment (age) at higher risk of dying if infected, I was shaken by that prospect (memento mori in my face). That made me stop and reflect a lot on my life. Bouts of pandemic anxiety came in the middle of the night for me. Thoughts accelerated like a psychedelic trip beginning to spool up. There’s little choice but to let go and observe the journey. After a few nights of purging and cleansing feelings of anxiety, I came once again to trust the wondrous serendipity of life. I feel so lucky to have lived in this time and places with people whom I love. Every person I have known and been close to has made a huge contribution to creating who I am. I am so grateful to everyone.
I always thought I would recap my life sometime in the future (you know, when your life flashes in front of you at the end). But the fatal potential of the virus allowed me to have that recap sooner rather than later. My life experience has been pretty good, very good, and really unbelievably good! This was a life bonus I didn’t expect. I had a chance to recap, appreciate loved ones and still look forward to many years ahead.
2. How have you grown personally during this disruption?
Grown, yes, around the waist. I’ve become a better gardener, cook and bartender. I am surf-fishing and paddle boarding when the conditions are right. The camping gear is ready for a road trip as soon as it’s safer to travel.
3. Has your relationship with your family and your friends changed as a result of having no travel or face-to-face get togethers on the schedule?
We’re all in the lifeboat together. I need to do more to enjoy the immediate and extended family. Get ready for a visit soon. I’ve learned to Zoom with friends.
4. How can any of us create positive change in the world during a crisis like this?
It’s been since the ’60s since I’ve seen so many people say “it has to change.” Wow, finally, people have had enough and are doing something about it!
Maybe the pandemic recommendations (distancing, mask, etc) had a knock-on effect to make people realize their fate and future is in their hands. That awareness of power is seen in the huge movement to overturn systemic and specific prejudice.
When there is confusion and disruption, individual thoughts and actions have a much greater impact on the solution and outcome. Recent news reports showed an individual standing in front of a business to successfully turn away a group of looters. Police who hug protestors and dance the Macarena exemplify small behaviors that change the potential outcome. Individual choices have big impact on group consciousness. Rupert Sheldrake says “what you do, what you say and what you think can influence other people by Morphic resonance”. I agree and add that when thousands of people are moved by common cause, the influence is great.
Vote him out!
