Good and bad has come from this global pandemic. This week I want to share my good and bad and hear from you about your good and bad. Yes, I am counting down the days to when this thing will be over. However, I understand that there is no quick fix and it will get worse before it gets better.
I have been listening to stories from people all over the world about how their lives have changed. I have heard about people losing loved ones, taking more time with their families, and everything in between. What has happened in your lives as a result of COVID-19?
I will start with the good things that have taken place. Since working from home for the past month, I have a lot more time with my family. We have cooked out on the grill, assembled tons of puzzles, watched movies, and done a few small projects around the house. I have also saved lots of time since I no longer have a 2+ hour commute into D.C. for work. My commute is now downstairs into my home office, so that has been really nice! I have also saved lots of money on gas, parking, the inevitable tickets that I sometimes get, eating out and other activities that I normally do (can’t wait to be able to get back to them though). Additionally, I do not have to get up as early to workout. I can get my workout in at anytime throughout the day without having to worry about being late for work. I also feel very appreciative of everything. Sometimes when we are relaxed and comfortable we don’t realize just how good we have it.
Unfortunately, we lost one of my uncles on my dad’s side to the virus. It is really bad in Michigan where I am originally from and my uncle was diabetic. The hardest part is given the nature of the virus, we are unable to give him a proper burial or say our final goodbyes. I also heard that one of my high school classmates succumbed to the virus a few days ago. Although financial services are considered essential, my job has been forced to close several locations due to infections. This has made it difficult to get a sense of normalcy despite what is going on. The stores in my area are having a difficult time keeping items like toilet tissue, milk, eggs, water and other staples stocked. They have literally been forced to limit the amount of those types of items that people can purchase at one time. The death and destruction of this disease has impacted the world like nothing I have ever seen in my lifetime.
This creates a shift in how we do things forever! Some of the jobs that we can now do from home will no longer require brick and mortar. Some of the things that we are learning to live without will not be coming back. Some of the industries and jobs will forever morph into something different than what we knew pre-virus. Feel free to share your stories. How has your life changed? What things have you learned about yourselves, about others, about what is important in life? How are you coping with the changes? What support do you need to get through this?
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