If you are like me, you’ve spent a lot of time this month thinking about what you were thinking, feeling, and doing this time last year. I’ve heard “thank goodness we didn’t know how long we would be in quarantine” on repeat. It was indeed a hard season, but good comes with every struggle, so I wanted to record the things I want to remember about quarantine. Here’s my 7:
Creative Connection
When we can’t be together, we get creative. We Zoom. We drive by and honk. We drop off surprises. We talk through windows. We fist bump and side hug. We have outdoor picnics or garage happy hours. We play Jackbox games over Facetime. We love our people any way we can.
Essential Workers
I never want to forget the ultimate kindness shown by those that kept working despite their risk – teachers, first responders, doctors, nurses, grocery store workers. I want to remember the work done by scientists to provide the world a way out. We must keep saying thank you to all those that help our society be its best.
The Word “AND”
We sure learned that we could work AND stay home, have joy AND sorrow, worry about what will happen AND be genuinely grateful. We often want a world that offers more ORs/BUTs than ANDs, but AND has been here from the beginning and will be here as long as the earth remains. “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting AND harvest, cold AND heat summer, AND winter, day AND night.” Genesis 8:22 NLT
Daily Bread
We couldn’t plan anything. The calendar was blank. It was a little hard to even dream about the future. So we took it one day at a time. We discovered the true meaning of “Give us today our daily bread.” We learned to ask for health and happiness for today.
Innovation
Drew and Ellie sang in the kitchen. Restaurants created new take-out menus. Colony House held a car concert. Jimmy Kimmel let us all see the inside of his home. Nonprofits planned virtual fundraisers, and churches had outdoor worship. When all seemed lost, people found a way.
Simplicity
Games, homemade slip-n-slides, books, movies, lounge clothes, and puzzles. Being outside, looking at the planets, watching the sunset, enjoying the seasons, walking the neighborhood, baking. Thank goodness for the simple things.
Home
The past year was quality time with my family in our home like we’ve never had before and will never have again. When things get busy and stressed again, I want to remember that our home is a safe shelter that provides an opportunity for rest, renewal, and rebuilding; we simply have to choose to be there.
What do you want to remember about the past year?
