When I used to picture what I would be doing in 2020, I can say without a doubt that “quarantining at home due to a pandemic” wasn’t even a consideration.
I pictured myself out and about with my family at springtime festivals, celebrating my husband’s return from deployment at Disney World, and DnD campaigns with my friends.
I painted a very rosy picture of what my 2020 would look like, and that picture was subsequently destroyed by COVID19- or so I thought.
To say the world was apprehensive about the idea of quarantine at first was an understatement. Having been forced to stay home, most of us didn’t know what to do with ourselves and the entirely new situation we were suddenly thrust into. Between working from home, parents figuring out how to homeschool, and finding other ways to occupy ourselves, most of us have tried to remain as busy as before.
Simply put, we don’t know how to slow down.
The things we once took for granted – trips to Target, dinners out with friends and significant others, and taking the kids to school, to name a few – are now things we can’t do for a while., If we are honest, we truly don’t know when we will be able to again
Amidst the fearful and angry social media outcries from my peers at the inevitability of having to stay home and create a new normal, I came across a friend of mine who posted something entirely different.
She asked, “what does this make possible?”
This question got me thinking. I came to a very exciting realization: all of the things I once said I had no time for, I now had all of the time in the world for! Talk about a blessing in disguise. Between my kids’ activities, their school, my school, and volunteer engagements, I used to be so busy I could not fit everything into my week. My once fast-paced schedule often meant missing out on vital moments, for example, more one-on-one time with my kids. Since our schedules have slowed down and we have (almost) nowhere to go, more time together is guaranteed. I feel I have gotten to know each of my three children better in two months than I have in years. We have created new traditions and routines that they will likely remember and do with their children in the future – which is a huge blessing.
Quarantining at home has also allowed me to reconnect with my favorite and forgotten hobby – sewing. My previous schedule didn’t provide enough time to devote to my hobby, so, it fell by the wayside. I used to be an avid seamstress, sewing clothes and gifts for my kids, and elaborate cosplay costumes for myself. When my community expressed a need for cloth masks in the wake of COVID19, I dusted off my Brother CS6000i machine and went to work. Not only did I contribute to a great need, but doing so allowed me to rediscover my love for turning fabric into something new.
Self-care and personal growth have also become a bigger priority. Before, I never felt like I had the time to just sit down, relax, read a good book, or play a video game. Now, I take time each day – whether it’s twenty minutes, an hour, or longer– and do something that I enjoy. So far, I’ve read three books and I’ve almost beaten my favorite game!
Even as some states begin to reopen and people go back to work, it is abundantly clear COVID19 has fundamentally altered the way we live. While these are uncertain times, I have decided to look at the positives that have come from all of this. For me, this time has taught me to slow down and appreciate what’s most important to me. I feel closer to my family, and I feel more like “me” again. I pray whatever you are going through, whatever season of life you may be in during quarantine, I hope you are able to see the positives for yourself, too.