Stay Calm and Be Content

The last few days have brought change into my life that I was not expecting, all due to COVID-19, aka Coronavirus. There is a lot of information out there, and I am not an expert, and also don’t want to talk about it. I will still share this video from an expert who explains the situation in more detail.

At first it was about something far away, then about a disease that permeated through the west coast, and finally a pandemic that is closing everything down and making toilet paper extinct. The shelves at the grocery stores are ransacked and even Disney is closing down (this never happens). Church services are limited to online broadcasting. I’ve been asked to work from home indefinitely. It feels as if a hurricane is coming and hitting the whole world, and we are all quarantined to reduce harm. I am keeping a prayerful attitude over all of us, specially those who are sick and affected financially.

In light of it all, I am wondering what life is going to look like in the next few weeks and months. I am brainstorming what I am going to do to fill up the time we won’t be spending in the office or out and about.

1. Save money. My husband and I work for companies that have been severely affected. We don’t know what might come out of this. We are suspending almost everything that is not a need and looking through our budget to confirm the exact number that covers our bills.
2. House projects. I have a few items that I want to get done but haven’t made the time for it. Now we will be home more so we will have the availability. I know that my husband will be thrilled (not).
3. Reading! I love to read and have more books than dedication. A bit more downtime will help me go down my list.
4. Cooking. I doubt that we will be eating out much. At the store yesterday, I bought ingredients to make some new breakfast dishes and baked goodies. I’ll make sure to add any great ones to the recipe page.
5. Watching subscription services. That long watch list? Let’s start chipping at it. I’ll make sure to add a few documentaries for extra insight.
6. Going out for walks around the neighborhood. Being at home is nice but cabin fever is a real thing for me.

Do you see a theme in the list? It might not be too obvious, but it all revolves around using what you have and breeding contentment in a time where what makes you extra busy is mostly gone or quieted down. This is something mostly alien to our society and a rare opportunity. It is how life is meant to be lived. There is only so much that we can accomplish in a day, and there is a community connected to us that depends on us. Problems or a time of less resources shouldn’t be the only stage for us to focus on the priorities in life. Now that we have the time, let’s use it.

Let’s keep our hands clean and out of our faces, and take this time to spend time with our VIPs. May this be a reset to a culture currently dependent on quick gratifications and social media posts. I hope that we can take the different pieces lying around our homes and enjoy the process of making something that builds us.