It has been almost a year since I have written a blog, but now on day 50-something of a mandated quarantine, I find myself with excess time and an abundance of thoughts, both of which have brought me back here.
The past 8 months have been filled with change and adjustment for our family. We have navigated through a retirement, new jobs, college graduation, several moves, and a change in college majors. Some of these we had planned for, others caught us completely off guard. Never did I think there would be an event to exceed all of these, yet here we are.
Quarantines and stay at home orders have been put in place all over the country hoping to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This has resulted in closed businesses and furloughed workers. Boardrooms are empty and home offices are filled with employees working remotely. Students and their teachers have left their physical classrooms for online workspaces. College dorms are vacant and campuses deserted. Events have been canceled, calendars are cleared, leaving athletes, musicians, brides, high school seniors, and college graduates, among others heartbroken. Emotions are raw, patience runs thin and we are all coping in various ways to the interruption this crisis has caused to our daily lives.
This kind of adversity can make people behave in ways they never would otherwise. Fear and anger can run parallel to each other. We've seen proof of this in the long lines outside Costco and empty grocery store shelves as people hurried to stockpile toilet paper, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and non-perishable food items. Anger and negativity have shown up on social media pages and in headlines, directed toward our government, our school districts, and sadly, even towards one another.
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| Quote by Bob Goff |
Circumstances differ greatly for each of us in all of this. So will the extent to which we are ultimately affected, both now and going forward. I think it is crucial to remember this and to do our best to show empathy, compassion, and kindness in those times when we don't see eye to eye with one another. Meeting people where they are is much more powerful than comparing our story to theirs, the two may be similar but they are not the same.
For our family, the impact has been minimal in comparison but not without some challenges. Kellan's first season coaching college baseball was cut short and his summer season with the Royals Scout Team is still in question. The classroom portion of Owen's EMT course was moved to online and the simulation and clinical instruction were put on hold until today. This was difficult given the fact that hands-on learning is a huge part of the curriculum. I am proud of the way they both have managed the disappointment and challenges of this situation. As for Tim and I, we are both working from home and being paid as if nothing has changed, we are extremely thankful for that.
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| Quote by Brene'Brown |
There is no doubt this time has been stressful. We've all been asked to do things out of our comfort zone including surrendering a lot of the control over our daily lives. Nonetheless, we've adapted, we've persevered, we've shown grit and grace in the middle of it all. There have countless examples of ingenuity and acts of service during this time as companies and individuals work to create solutions and fill needs. I am hopeful that someday we'll be able to look back at all of this with lenses that allow us to recognize the triumphs hidden in the middle of the tragedies.
I miss the people I love. I miss my freedom to come and go as I please. I miss baseball!!! I know all those things will have to wait a little longer, and that's ok. For now, as we move another step closer to our new normal, I will continue to focus on what I can control. My attitude, my perspective, my faith, my care for others, and my gratitude for everything, and everyone I still have.
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