The ‘Rona

I’ve never seen anything like this in my life, “The ‘rona” as my friends and I are calling it.

No one has!!! It’s basically unprecedented!

We are on lockdown, like it’s the middle of a war and the enemy is coming. We are homeschooling our children, stocking up on toilet paper and washing our hands so much our phones no longer read our thumbprint.

This quarantine has been like the longest snow day in history, where you feel like it’s normal to eat junk food all day and start drinking at noon. Your nerves about the potential spread of the virus and the chance your children may be home with you for much longer than anticipated, make the afternoon wine seem deserved and normal.

It’s like the week between Christmas and New Years, when you have no concept of time and it’s acceptable to eat cookies for breakfast and chug wine at basically any time of day, without anyone judging. Or if they do, you don’t care.

It’s Halloween night, when the neighbors are all sitting in their driveways or taking walks with their kids, holding an alcoholic bevi, but in this scenario, you have to stay 6ft apart and certainly aren’t handing out candy, without getting a death stare!!

In all seriousness though, this quarantine has taught me a lot about the things we all take for granted…like having a home to be “stuck in.”

It has taught me patience, while stepping into a new role as my children’s teacher. I am learning along with them, how to use all these amazing resources that have been provided to continue their education throughout this ordeal.

It has taught me the importance of great neighbors that have each others’ backs, even through pandemics! Although we are “social distancing,” I feel closer to them than ever.

It has also shown me to slow down a little bit and look at the big picture! Yes, I’m eating a bit more junk and drinking a little more, but overall it has actually been a positive experience. I’m spending more time with my family and coming up with creative ways to stay busy. I’m reading more, getting in some projects I’ve been putting off around the house and appreciating self-care more than ever.

My children are also starting to value certain things a little more. They are enjoying bike rides, just to get out of the house and see their friends, even if it’s from a distance. They are excited to get notes from their teachers and impress them with the work they are completing at home. They are helping me cook and paint and playing more with their baby sister. They are snuggling up more and excited about movie night or ordering a pizza, things they took for granted before.

The ‘rona is scary and nothing to take lightly. But, humor is how my friends and I deal with it. It’s how we deal with life in general. Sending each other gifs, Marco Polo vids or FaceTiming to have that human connection we are all craving are helping us get closer through this crazy situation.

We are all doing our best to survive this, but my goal is to thrive as well! Now if only I could lay off the drinking and stop eating the contents of my fridge everyday, I think I’d really be in a good place. But really I think we all get a pass right now to handle this the best way we can!

Hang in there everyone. Don’t let the ‘rona get you down. Make the most of this time and enjoy life, like you’re at a tailgate for a big event that may or may not happen. Don’t just focus on the destination, but enjoy the ride getting there!

I have a saying hanging up all over my house, “Stop waiting for the storm to pass, just learn to dance in the rain.” That lesson is more clear to me now than ever.