I dare say there are things we need to look at and thank COVID for. In the worst of times, I rely on being grateful to get me through the day. I started watching a new show today about a spoof on COVID. I did almost have to turn it off as I was not sure I would even think it was funny and do we need to really make money off of a pandemic? But I have learned, it is necessary to pivot! It wasn’t so much that the new TV show was funny but it really made me think about this zombie apocalypse we are in and I realized I need to make a list of the good things that have come from it. So here goes…
1. Introverts are in heaven. Do I ever have to leave the house again? Is it weird that I get so excited when I see people with real jobs log on to the internet to do their job? And I wonder if they are wearing pants? I mean that has always been my dream. Check on your extrovert friends they are not OK! Me I am in heaven! Do I really have to talk to someone today?
2. Quality family time that you NEED to learn to appreciate. I have read about the resuming of family dinners. How sad that we have to resume family time. We all got so busy we forgot to sit down with each other at least once a day and talk to our family? Yes, I realize I said I don’t want to talk in the above bullet but hey, even an introvert needs someone. When I was younger we had family dinners with wait for it… no TV (long before the invention of the cell phone). Yesterday, there I was with my parents in the pouring rain at our family cabin with no TV, phone or internet and you know what … we played UNO! Now that is time I will remember forever. And my mom beat my dad who NEVER loses. We took a picture of the score card and then hung the card on the refrigerator! We sat there for hours and played cards. Priceless memory!
3. You spend less money. So for realz what did I used to spend my money on? This month my credit card bill was- not kidding – 1/3 of what it used to be. I am so proud. Turns out not much is essential when you cannot go out and you really don’t need to clothes except your pajamas.
4. I got to slow down. I just wrote to my brother that my life was going so fast I never took time to spend every Sunday with my parents (even the introvert needs a change of scenery), took time to sit by my pond everyday since now I was not spending 1.5 hours commuting to work, took time to sleep (I have never felt so rested in my entire life), and lastly I just take time to use the bathroom. You pharmacists will understand that one. But my tummy thanks me every day!
When this all started and we went on lock down I thought this was our Higher Power (whoever that may be to you) just trying to tell us we got to big for our britches. We got too caught up in the material world that we lost sight of what matters. So I dare you go slow, look around, listen and be grateful every day for what you have no matter if you are locked down in a house and your family is making you cra cra!