Taking Advantage of the Time We Now Have

Ten years from now, when you reflect on the Corona Virus Pandemic and how it affected you, will you be proud to share with others what you did during this lockdown? I hope so.

We non-essential workers have a lot of time on our hands. Initially, when we all went into “pause ” mode, I believe most people were in shock. I mean, who would have thought that New York City would shut down schools and offices and encourage folks to “shelter in place?”

Listening to the news accounts of how quickly the pandemic was spreading was genuinely frightening. I was really hoping it was a bad dream. Unfortunately, it was not. The truth is, we’ve been watching Covid 19 change the course of our lives. We are in the midst of an event that will inevitably be taught in United States history books.

I have friends that have lost their mother or father. I know two women who have lost their husbands to this pandemic. This disease is relentless and doesn’t care whether you are male or female, young or old. Covid-19 is no dream, and it can overwhelm you if you let it.

This past week I was getting very depressed. I decided to stop watching the news because all it did was leave me with a terrible ache in the pit of my stomach. Instead, I began focusing on the good things that are happening as a result of this pandemic.

Yes, there is good in every bad situation. (Take it from someone who found a silver lining in having breast cancer.) For instance, Zoom has become a household name. The makers of hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and paper towels are watching their products fly off the shelves! These companies are enjoying huge sales profits.

The family dynamic has drastically changed. Young children are enjoying more time with their parents. Siblings are playing together and learning to get along with each other. Family game nights are becoming regular, and after dinner, bike-rides are suddenly a “thing.” How wonderful is that?

I recently saw a video of a five-year-old who wanted to learn to cook. Mom had him standing on a chair (so he could reach the stove), and was letting him stir the scrambled eggs in the frying pan. He was so proud of himself! Maybe a young chef in the making? For all you Blue Bloods fans out there, the Reagan’s are not the only ones enjoying family meals these days!

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my husband and I like to take a ride to the beach after dinner and stroll along the boardwalk. There’s nothing better than smelling and hearing the ocean! Lately, there is a long line of cars parked on the highway shoulder, watching the sunset. I used to drive this highway every day and can tell you that pre-Covid, nobody was parked on the side of the road watching the sunset.

I think most of us (myself included) are experiencing things we’ve all had available to us but were “too busy” to take the time to enjoy. Those include walks on the beach, family bike-rides and game nights, sunsets and sunrises, cooking together and, in general, enjoying each other’s company.

Kindness to healthcare workers and first responders is on-going. I have contributed to lunches, dinners, and snacks for all these workers. Random chalk drawings saying Thank You are frequently drawn on the concrete outside hospitals. My nurse friends say these little acts touch them and make them feel good.

The Blue Angels (US Navy) and Thunderbirds (US Air Force) did a New York City fly-over as part of an overhead tribute to Covid-19 front-line workers. They flew directly over our house at one point, and it was thrilling to see.

Local communities are supporting small businesses by ordering takeout food from restaurants, groceries for pick-up, and DIY materials from the corner hardware store. Rainbows are being drawn and posted in house windows for children to look for on scavenger hunts. Birthday car parades are becoming commonplace, and the 7 pm applause for front-line workers is a daily occurrence.

There are random banners posted on lamp posts or front lawns simply saying “Thank You” to our essential workers. Neighbors are shopping for each other and checking in on each other to make sure everyone is okay. Prayer chains are forming with sometimes up to one hundred people storming Heaven at the exact same time to pray for those affected by this awful disease.

The entire world has slowed down, and my piece of it is replete with the love of family, gratitude for our beautiful earth, and appreciation towards those on the front lines fighting this disease. I pray every day for the safety of our workers and for the families who have experienced losses.

So, yes, I would be very proud to tell people ten years from now how I was affected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

How about you? What are you and your family doing now that you didn’t do prior to Covid 19? Please share in the comments below.