In these trying times

Every day we’re bombarded with news of the pandemic, which has affected each of us – in different ways. Some more than others. To quote a post on Facebook, “We’re all in the same storm but we’re not all in the same boat.”

So, what can we do to avoid becoming depressed and negative in these trying times? I don’t claim to have the answers for everyone but I can tell you what works for me. 

1.  I’m a writer. That’s what I do and what I love to do and my books won’t write themselves. So, like every week before the virus hit, I sit down at my desk and write - six mornings a week. I’m currently working on “Out of the Woods,” the third book in my Small Town Mystery series, and I hope to publish it in a few months.

2.  I need to be productive. At the end of the day, I want to feel that I’ve accomplished something. So, I stick to my normal routine as much as possible. Because, virus or no virus, I have things I need to do – so I do them. Cleaning, cooking, caring for my mother . . . the list goes on and on.

3.  I stay abreast of what’s going on in the world but I don’t let the media convince me to immerse myself in news about the virus. Like always, my TV doesn’t go on until evening when I watch the shows I enjoy. And, as I've always done, I read in bed each night before I go to sleep.

4.  I avoid interacting with negative people. While I have compassion for those who are unhappy, to me, life’s too short to spend my time listening to and/or responding to people who insist on constantly whining and complaining. Some people seem to revel in misery. I’m not one of them; I choose to be happy. So, I will continue to post jokes, etc. on Facebook. Anything I can do to bring people up – not down.

5.  And, last - but actually the most important to me. I get up every morning and I thank God for the day, asking him to guide me in everything I think, say, do and write. Knowing that He’s in charge takes a huge weight off my shoulders. And for that I am grateful.

A Silver Lining

A while back, there was a commercial on TV that showed a family sitting down to dinner, telling viewers that was how things “used to” be. Then the screen flashed to what things are like now, basically saying we needed to accept and to adapt to the frantic, hectic life of today’s world.

I haven’t seen that commercial for a couple of weeks but, every time I saw it, it made me angry. Because I don’t believe that’s how we were meant to live. And now, because of the pandemic, the world has slowed down and we have time to literally and figuratively “smell the roses.”

In order to minimize the spread of the virus, people are staying at home as much as possible, only going out to shop for the necessities. Many people are realizing they don’t need all of the things they thought they did. That there are more important things than money and possessions. Parents are spending more quality time with their children and families are once again sitting down to have dinner together.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Is there a silver lining to this horrible virus? The potential for positive change? A lesson to be learned from it? I think so.

Granted, when all of this is over – and it will be, some people will go right back to the stressful way they were living before the virus hit. But others will learn from it and CHOOSE to simplify and slow down their lives as much as possible. To go back to the basics. To focus on what’s most important to them. And to appreciate and to be grateful for all they have. Even a few small changes can make a big difference in the quality of our lives.