“Frowzy,” is a word that originated in the seventeenth century, but no one seems to know where it came from. The definition of the word means to be scruffy or unkempt. The picture above is of a frowzy me, taken during the first year of the COVID epidemic. As you can see, I was not at my best at that time and certainly could be labeled “Frowzy.” A lot of us were walking around in a dazed condition in those days. Somehow, many of us haven’t changed our countenance much. For some reason, the pandemic created a lot of zombie-like expressions. The lack of smiling faces might be due to the fact that the lower portion of our faces were covered up and it was unnecessary to smile at people. In fact, there weren’t many people we could smile at, even if we wanted to.
The pandemic changed lives – not only the loss of life or the resulting symptoms of the disease, but the isolation from family and friends and the implementation of working at home online. In a way we forgot how to socialize. You can see the consequences of this everywhere. Even within families, the space around us has widened and we don’t communicate like we do. Hiding behind the mask along with staying at home has caused an adaptation that really has hurt us as a nation. We’ve grown untrusting, suspicious, hermit-like and fearful. The disease seems to have almost disappeared, but every once in a while, there seems to be a temporary uptick and the fear sets in again. Once again, our suspicious minds go down another rabbit hole.
As God’s creatures, we learn to adapt to our circumstances, but often times it’s not for the better. It’s time to come out of the security of living within four walls and beginning to socialize again. It’s beginning to change in the past year, but people are still isolating and staying in the shell created by that horrid event. God created us to depend on Him in all circumstances, but He also saw a need for us not to be alone. So, take off that frowzy mask and replace it with a huge, genuine smile. Show your pearly whites.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESV
atimetoshare.me 
Frowzy gave me pause. Yes, I heard it in my youth, and what I thought it meant is what you defined.
As for COVID, the leader of our prayer warriors just tested negative. She had all the COVID symptoms, but she tested negative five times before testing positive. She was already taking medicine by then. But other than a persistent cough, she started testing again. Again, 4-5 positive tests before she finally tested negative.
She said she was going to be at the prayer team meeting next week even if she tested positive. She just had to get out of the house and see a human face to face. Frowzy? I am sure of it. But then, I started thinking of when her husband died. He died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma right after the lockdown started. She has never said whether they broke the rules and let her see him one last time. I am afraid to ask. He did not have COVID, but in those days, they allowed no visitors at all in the local hospitals. We adapt, and the hospitals have changed their rules – now that I have two ten dollar packets of unused masks…
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Frowzy…I just learned a new word!šš
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I have heard the tests are not right…only certain ones and one doctor said not to take the Covid medicine…will make you ill. A friend of mine who had Covid told me this was told by her doctor. I took the initial vaccine’s when they came out and that is it. My pharmacist said not to take a specific booster that is now no longer on the market because of heart issues.
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Iāve heard the same. Makes you wonder, doesnāt it?
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Frowzy! I can relate to those days of isolation, and certainly I looked even worse after weeks without seeing someone to cut my hair. Thankfully, my wife handled clippers pretty well. I agree that this period of isolation didn’t help us as a country or world.
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