Silver Lining: Here’s to All the Good Even During an Epidemic and Quarantine
With the Governor mandating shutdown of many businesses and an order to STAY HOME on Sunday, people may have stiffened or shuttered at what this could mean.
Frankly, I have been working at home for more than a week already with my supplies I had gathered ahead of time. And, thanks to my sisters, we are stocked with groceries too. I am doing my part to flatten the curve – to protect our most vulnerable, the healthcare workers, pharmacists, flight attendants, grocery store employees, janitors, and other essential personnel still showing up every day to work. I am ready to sit in my comfortable home for as long as possible. If you have the capability to work from home, you should, and I am feeling fortunate that I have this option.
I feel heartbroken for those who don’t have the ability to stay or work from home.
Those still being ordered to report to work (hopefully with new social distancing and hygiene measures in place), those doctors and nurses who are on the front lines battling this invisible virus, pharmacists who are fielding calls and questions by the dozens and still administering vaccines (that clearly won’t help with the novel COVID-19), and all other essential personnel who are risking their own health and their families’ health for the protection of you and me.
This is by no means routine or normal, and maybe you are feeling helpless or even, God-forbid, bored! But with all the chaos in the news and hospitals, I have noticed an abundance of blessings surrounding me. I wanted to share the positive effects to bring a little peace and hope amongst this uncertain storm.
So here’s to the silver lining of this global epidemic and time of quarantine.
Here’s to:
- Less noise and more reflection
- Less laundry and more used coffee mugs
- Less makeup and more sunscreen
- Less traffic and more bikers and walkers
- Less running from point A to point B and more sit down family dinners
- Less sitting and more exercise
- Less running on empty and more time for self-care
- Less reading emails and more leisure reading
- Less primping and more glowing
- Less worrying and more planning
- Less distraction and more time to stop and smell the roses (or listen to the birds singing)
- Less errands and shopping and more time for prayer
- Less toilet paper and more drying in the spring breeze (or more wine – that too)
- Less take out and more cooking together
- Less purchasing and more donating
- Less vacations and more imaginative escapes (couch forts and box buildings)
- Less phone time and more one-on-one time
- Less scheduling and more laughs
- Less air pollution and more pure, deep breaths
- Less FaceTime and more FACE TIME
- Less driving and more walking
- Less greed and more resourcefulness
- Less structure and more art and creative play (or screen time – who are we kidding)
- Less homework and more learning together
- Less time stuck indoors and more sunshine
- Less strict bedtimes and more family game nights
- Less small talk and more intentional conversations
- Less putting off family gatherings and more family zoom calls and google hangouts
- Less division and more cooperation
- Less indifference and more kindness
- Less hate and more love
When we don’t know where else to focus our energy, I find it incredibly peaceful and fulfilling to focus on the good and the overflow of blessings that are surrounding us once we stop to notice them. This exercise may not free you of your anxiety or fear, but I hope it holds you up and provides you some calm during this season of uncertainty.
