Some people who know me well would call me an optimist. Well, maybe a dreamer too! I like to look at the bright side of life and search for that ‘silver lining’ wherever and whenever I can. That optimism feeds me and helps me do what I do every day, and that is teach and inspire students within my care.
I am not going to lie. The COVID pandemic that we are all facing in the moment has really challenged that optimism and the way I have approached life. So I spent time over the weekend on day 20 of home isolation thinking and contemplating on the positives or shall we say benefits of being home 24/7 with my dear family, instead of out in the world. It didn’t take long to create a list of positives or benefits that have come out of our family isolation as a result of a very real and concerning virus out there!
As I reflected and pondered the current situation, I had to admit to myself that I was enjoying all this home time with my family. The back story is my family of four, husband Bill (of 22 years) and teenage sons, Jess and Tom, ages 19 and 15 respectively, had spent 4 years living in isolation in the eastern arctic of Canada from 2007-2011. We have experience being shut off in our home for days on end during brutal snow storms in the far north. So maybe I am a bit biased.
Alas, the list was created from the heart and from looking at the glass ‘half-full’ instead of ‘half-empty.’ See for yourself! Everyone’s experience is different when dealing with adversity. Yet if you can read some of my positives and try a few yourself, then that would make my ‘glass half full’ a bit fuller.
“The List”
Benefits of Being in Isolation 24/7 (Toronto, Canada)
#1 More sleep! My kids have never looked so good, rested, young and healthy. My husband and I no longer have to commute to work, so extra shut eye helps improve our mood, patience and joy eau de vie.
#2 More productive in work. As a result of no commute, there is more time and energy to dedicate to our jobs. We are more ‘on’ and the coffee is always fresh and waiting to be consumed (when we take turns to make it). My sons are able to finish assignments faster and let’s face it, they are way faster and more inept at connecting with others on social media.
#3 More family dinners. And let’s be clear, we are now eating most meals at the dining room table! We actually sit, look each other in the eyes and talk about our day (at home) without any interruptions or electronics close by. So 1980 eh?
#4 More reading time. Our T.V. is off because we are crazy sports fans (well, hockey is the best sport of course being Canadian) and there are no sports to watch. Thus we have all started to crack open a book that was collecting dust either in our living room or bedroom. Our evenings are quiet as we all enjoy the latest novel of our choice!
#5 More creative time. My son Tom started practicing his cello daily (no excuses now), my son Jesse tends to spend time singing (in private in his room), my husband started to play more music in the home (classical which sets the mood during our reading sessions) and I started playing piano for the first time in 30 years! No joke. I can still play!!
#6 More time for daily mediation and/or prayer. We all have our own strategies to cope during difficult situations, so at different times in our home, you will see a member being quiet spending time in prayer or listening to a mediation on HeadSpace. It helps us stay balanced, centered and in the end, helps us cope.
#7 More time to figure out technology. I am not going to lie yet being in my late forties, I am not the greatest figuring out all the latest video conferencing apps. But now with extra time on my hands and trapped teenagers in the house to help, I have all the tools to figure out Zoom, Viper, What’sApp, Chanty and Google hangout.
#8 More time to do spring cleaning. Obviously, there is more time to clear out all those jammed closets, and kitchen drawers (with stuff we never use). Looking at each excess item and saying those words that we have all learned from that great Japanese organizer/author Marie Kondo, “Does this bring me joy??” Most of the time I say out loud, “No!” and throw that item away or in the recycle bin.
#9 More time to think about loved ones. Being at home fulltime has left some time in each day to think of and connect with other family members that are in isolation in their home. Check-in phone calls with our elderly parents has been a priority and connecting with siblings and dear friends has been a focus of every day.
#10 More time to eat healthy. We have lots of family discussions about food, food and more food. With two teenage sons in the house, they need the fridge stocked 24/7, which can be a challenge. Yet with more time to communicate, plan meals and cook, we are all eating three healthy meals a day and feeling good!
Comments