Ten Things of Thankful – COVID-19 Edition

Is it wrong if I just start this with a huge sigh?

So many things have elicited that reaction from me today – and the sighs have all been different. Sighs of frustration, of sadness, of relief. I’ve run the gamut of emotions today alone, never mind the last week. Never mind whatever lies ahead and for however long.

I have struggled for several days over whether to even write this post. I am completely on board with the idea of finding the blessings in life, in looking for the positive among the negative, in finding things for which we can be grateful when it feels like the world is simply hurling a load of crap at us one handful after another after another. The practice of gratitude has saved my life, in a manner of speaking. It has helped me through some very rough periods. It has brought me some very real connections with people I might not otherwise know.

But right now? I’m conflicted. I feel guilty expressing gratitude when I am acutely aware that there are so many others who can’t do the same. I consulted my husband. He said something to the effect of “just write it.” As much as doing so gives me pause, I think I’ll feel better reminding myself of some good today.

I am thankful for sunlight. Not only because it’s now officially early spring and I was SO over winter, but because now that we’re mostly house-bound, time in the sunlight is not as frequent in our days as it has been. When you’re coming and going, running from here to there and here again all day, you step into the warmth and light of the sun so many times a day. Right now, that’s changed. And so I find myself very grateful when the sun shines and I’m even opening the window shades more than usual in an effort to let the light permeate the present darkness.

I am thankful for our home. As much as this place might frustrate us with its constant needs and ill fit, we are safe here at home. I can’t help but wonder about all the people out there who are homeless, who depend on shelters where personal space may be a rarity. I fear for those who may be home but who are not safe in their homes for so many reasons.

I am thankful that we are here together. So many people live alone. So many people have been forced to be alone right now due to circumstances. Visitors to prisons and retirement homes and more have been restricted so that loved ones are unable to be together. Medical workers are isolated from their families, some by preventive choice for safety reasons, some because they are needed to stay and work. People in my own family are in this situation for a number of reasons. I try to remember this gift when nerves become frazzled and tempers short.

I am thankful for technology. Yes, I’m a Gen-X’er who remembers life without technology (often very fondly) and can do just fine without it. I have my books, my puzzles, my too-long-neglected house projects to keep me busy. We have cards and games to keep us entertained. But I am certainly grateful for the technology we do have so that we can stay connected to family, continue things like music lessons virtually, visit a museum online if we feel inclined, and of course keep up with what’s going on out there. My daughter is cyber-schooled so not much has changed for her in that regard, providing a welcome sense of normalcy and routine in all of this disruption and uncertainty. I’m also grateful that when we’ve had just about enough of it all, we can turn it all off for a while.

I am thankful for those out there who are working in high-risk situations. Among my own family and immediate circle of friends we have nurses, dental technicians, EMTs, police officers, firefighters, and others in positions of high risk of exposure right now. I can’t begin to imagine their personal stress and worry and the ramifications their situation has for their family, whether in terms of potential exposure or choice to isolate from them for those reasons. And beyond my family, I am grateful for those who are out there in the thick of it providing necessary services in our food service industry, grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and other places that are essential to sustaining human life. I am grateful for those in positions that support those services – their maintenance and cleaning personnel, tech support, delivery personnel and truck drivers, and everyone who works in manufacturing and shipping to make and deliver what we all need. The list goes on – I’m certain I’ve forgotten far too many here. But I’m sure you all get the picture.

I am thankful that my husband is able to work from home and minimize all of our exposure. And I’m thankful that he works in an industry that is a necessary service right now. My husband is an IT-guy. All of that technology I mentioned above needs support so he’s still out there (in here) working. His company supports those necessary services that are still up and running and taking care of all of us here at home. I see so many reports of closures, layoffs, lost work hours, etc. and I know the number of people affected is already staggering. I am beyond grateful that he gets up every morning and goes to work, business as usual.

I am thankful for enough food. Sure, our grocery and meal prep habits have changed a bit and I suspect will continue to change. But we have enough to eat for quite a while. I am painfully aware that not everyone does. Not only right now in this unprecedented crisis, but every day. The closing of schools has effects far beyond the interruption of day-to-day education for millions of children, not the least of which is that so many of those children depend on school for their meals and even health care. There are far too many people in this country and in the world who don’t have enough to eat every day. And now? Limited supplies in stores, lost jobs and lack of funds, inability to go out to get food for so many reasons from lack of transportation to lack of someone to help, and reason after reason after reason that people will struggle to have enough even more so than on a standard daily basis.

Let me wrap up with a great big catch-all here because I know if I write all night I will never be able to remember everyone and everything that should be on this list. I am thankful for…

• For the government officials who are stepping up and making tough decisions to keep us all safe and guide us all through this when so much of what is out there is negative and uncertain. Let me leave it at that or I’ll climb on my soapbox and I’m honestly just too tired.
• For the teachers and school officials who are scrambling to come up with alternative learning scenarios for children from pre-school to grad school with no notice and in many cases, not enough materials to go around. If you’re frustrated with your educational situation, please be patient with them. This is new for them, too. And for the parents who are suddenly thrust into the position of having to monitor or deliver instruction at home. It’s no easy switch for anyone and no, it’s not ideal. Be patient with yourself. Be patient with others.
• For the sanitation workers who keep picking up the trash, the maintenance and cleaning personnel in any situation out there – schools, hospitals, grocery stories, pharmacies, necessary businesses and more. These people are literally doing the dirty work for all of us and working to keep the germs and virus at bay so eventually we can all get back out there. If you didn’t appreciate these people before, well, shame on you. You should have. Make sure you do moving forward and for heaven’s sake tell them thank you.
• For the postal workers and delivery workers who keep bringing things to our doors, from mail to groceries to takeout food to that book you ordered from Amazon to keep you occupied. Consider the risk and stress on them. Say thank you (through the door or in a note) and when you tip them (you should definitely tip them), tip them damn well.
• For all the people out there who may not have much to give in terms of items or money, but have offered services to others – offers to care for children of essential workers, to help with homeschooling, to pick up and deliver food and supplies, to walk a dog, to pick up medications, to offer tech support for those suddenly working and schooling at home, or whatever else it is that you have offered no matter how small you think it is.

I’m sure there’s something I should have included here. It will come to me in the middle of the night when I’m staring at the ceiling thinking, worrying, and not sleeping. For now, I’ll go with this and just put it out there. If you feel moved to share what you are thankful for, consider joining the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop. They do this every week. You can find everything you need to know over at the Ten Things of Thankful blog! Click here.

Stay safe out there, my friends. Be well.

L.

Featured image by skeeze from Pixabay