Due to Covid-19, we’ve been asked to practice “social distancing”, a term I wasn’t familiar with until this year. However, I’m doing the best I can, along with my family, to limit outings to just the bare essentials. My workload has doubled since my kids are now doing school from home, but overall, it’s been a positive experience. Yes, there are plenty of moments where I feel my brain has been fried, but for the most part, I’ve been enjoying the extra time with my family.
The Real Essentials
Things that were not as important have been cancelled or put off for later. For my family, that means sports, going out to eat, and movies, mostly. We still need school and church, but we can do those at home. We still have the things that matter most.
The Heart of Ministering
There is a stronger sense of community despite the lack of face-to-face interactions. I’ve seen many posts on social media about people reaching out to each other when they need things and can’t find them. I’m impressed by the news of people and organizations donating much-needed supplies to hospitals and healthcare workers. I’m especially pleased about Disney putting their new movies on Disney+ already and numerous educational websites offering free content for kids doing school from home.
We’ve been able to reach out a little as well. It may be in small ways, but it counts. People have also reached out to us through social media and phone calls to make sure we’re doing all right.
Humor (Still)
Thanks to the internet, there’s still a lot to laugh about. I can’t count how many memes I’ve seen about toilet paper. They haven’t gotten old yet, either. The song parodies are pretty amazing too. I can forget for a moment that social distancing is for a serious reason. Laughing helps me breathe more deeply, too.
The Things We Take For Granted
My family has a greater appreciation for the little things that aren’t cancelled. These are mostly things we already did but didn’t realize how important they were before. I’m talking about family dinners, studying the scriptures together, working on projects, enjoying nature, movie nights, and more. Some have been modified to fit the situation, but they haven’t been taken away from us.
I’ve realized how lucky I am. My kids have wonderful teachers, and I really miss having a few hours alone during the day. I’m lucky to be home in the first place. I don’t know how I’d juggle a job and my kids’ school right now, and I know many families are in this boat.
Normally, I have a well-stocked grocery store with thousands of options, but even in its diminished state, I can still get enough food for my family. Even if I couldn’t, we wouldn’t run out for a long time.
I have many choices for entertainment and travel at my fingertips. Though travel is limited right now, I can “go” just about anywhere with the internet. I can’t imagine what this would be like without technology.
A Good Question
An article I read recently asked this thought-provoking question:
“What will you do to create the experience you want?”
From the beginning, I knew I wanted a good balance between fun, schoolwork, and chores. so I made a schedule and adjusted my own day to be able to be there when my kids my need my help. Though I have certain expectations for each day, I have to remember to be flexible. I can’t control what’s in stock at the grocery store, current weather conditions, or the timing of dirty diapers. However, I can control my own actions every day and choose to focus on the good instead of the frustrating.
Social distancing won’t last forever, even though we don’t know when it will end. (I talk more about uncertainty in this previous post.) One day at a time is all I need to worry about right now, and I can choose to make each day joyful.