I have heard this phrase more and more lately. But it was not until a text conversation with my Mom that it all seemed to fall into place and make sense for me. Thank you, Mom, not just for this but for your love, support, and always being there for me!
As we all sit at home, longing to get out of the house and go just anywhere, it is an excellent time to think about what this experience has taught us as a community. How glad will you be to sit in traffic and wait your turn to head toward your office, the grocery store, or a crowded shopping mall? Think about the first time you will wait in a long line with a group of strangers to get a cup of coffee or order fast food.
All of these things are what we are missing, human contact. Now that it has been removed from our lives not by choice but forced on us, we are all craving it. So take a moment to think about how you will act, how you will show appreciation for the ability to be a part of society once again. Will this prolonged stay at home remind you of lessons from your childhood? Will you find your manners and make your parents proud? Will you be happy to hold the door for a stranger, wait your turn in line, and smile at the person who passes through the four-way stop before it is your turn?
Right now, we are all filled with emotion about the future. There is worry about your health, financial security, and just how you will get through the news that each day brings. But it is also a time to realize that we can carry some valuable lessons and reminders into the future. We can become a kinder, more caring, and polite society. We have each been reminded that we are a part of something bigger and that as humans, we really are pack creatures. We do not thrive in isolation, and in fact, it can be challenging for us.
We can choose to remember 2020 as the year that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and changed life as we know it. Or we can choose to think of 2020 as the year that we came together to help neighbors and strangers alike to get through a challenging time. It can be the year that we all remembered the lessons of our childhood, patience, and compassion for those around us. I hope that we all choose the latter option.
This is so true and so beautifully written, Kathy! Thank you so much for writing what many of us are feeling, thinking and wondering about but don’t have the words, or the time, to express it all. Bless you and thank you, and your dear mom, for teaching you and now sharing all these valuable life-saving and life-affirming wisdom lessons we, your grateful readers, can pass on to others at this unprecedented time for all of us alive today.
How can humans forget the lessons of their childhood? For the ones who do, yes, now is the time to remember. With lots of time on our hands, positivity must be in everything we do and say too. Positivity will help us to get through this and create togetherness we must still hold on to when we have less time. Negativity will separate us and weaken us and our chances of getting through this. Use Positivity as your tool to get through this.