Quarantine Thoughts – Part I

I listened to a webinar yesterday about how one’s mindset can either fuel your soul or drain it. Typically, I would not sign up for something like this. In normal times, I consider myself to be an upbeat person who wakes up every morning with a plan and a purpose. But these are not normal times. And I’ve been struggling to stick to a routine and start and end my day on a positive note.

The speaker began with a question that made me laugh out loud.

“What is good about this pandemic?”

Ha! Is there anything good about a pandemic? But, sure enough, people started flooding the chat room with answers. Time with my family. Clean closets. Netflix.

Here are some silver linings that I’ve noticed lately.

First, I am much more aware of the beauty of my neighborhood and the kindness of the people who live here. I’ve been able to appreciate the beautiful landscaping outside their homes. I love watching the kids riding their bikes like I used to do when I was their age. I’ve spoken to people that I haven’t seen in a while. I found out that one woman is making face masks and not charging a penny. Another mom is posting about daily adventures with her young family complete with pictures and advice. Some days are a success and other days it’s not easy. Her honesty and sense of humor is refreshing. And everyone is looking out for the seniors and offering to pick items up for them at the store. This all reminds me that if I ever win the lottery I’d still never move.

The next thing that is good about the pandemic is that I no longer have to wear Spanx, spend money on manicures, or concern myself with the gray roots that are forming a skunk-like stripe down my center part. It’s refreshing to let my hair down and not worry about how I look. Of course, my family has to see me every day now, but they are used to me looking my best and my worst. Right now, I’m going through an in-between stage that works for me.

Finally, I’ve discovered the world of telemedicine. I never heard of this before the ‘rona, but it is so nice to have it available to me. At the beginning of the quarantine, I was actually pretty sick, but not sick enough to get a COVID-19 test. I had a nasty cough that shook my entire body and wouldn’t go away. I was exhausted and lost my sense of taste for a day or two (which really freaked me out!). I waited two weeks to call my doctor because I was social distancing and didn’t want to drive 30 minutes to his office. But apparently, there was no need. The nurse set up a Zoom-like call with my doctor. And guess what?! No wait time. None! Just excellent care and a course of antibiotics on its way.

While I’m looking forward to leaving my house again, I’m learning to slow down, sit back, and appreciate my life. This is the best silver lining of all.

Of course, there is a flip side to this blog post. And because I need to catch up on the Ultimate Blog Challenge, stay tuned for Quarantine Thoughts – Part Two: The Darker Side of the Pandemic — coming very soon.

In the meantime, how would you have answered her question? What is good about the pandemic? I’d love to hear your responses in the comments.