Silver Lining of Covid19?

It's been some time since I've written a blog.  Why?  Well, I think we've all been in a strange place with the pandemic, and while I have found so many silver linings, I was hesitant to share any "cheer," given the tragic stories of so many people.  I think at this point we all know someone who was either infected or directly affected by Covid19.  And to hear that I have been spending more time with family, when many are struggling to put food in their refrigerator, lost healthcare, a home, or worse yet, a loved one, seems insensitive.  I, too, lost a colleague.  We also lost a loved one, not directly to Covid19, but indirectly. 

However, that being said, I think that we are all needing to hear some good news, some uplifting stories and perhaps even need a mental health shift towards gratitude.  And I, too, would enjoy hearing from you, just as our readers would! 

Some joys and silver linings we have found, as a family, with three young children is overall just more simple pleasures in life!  While our lives were extremely busy before, we are taking more time for our sons to learn cooking, baking, good ole board game playing, and simple, adventure and nature walks. 

While we often hike and get out as a family in place our our long Saturday rides since we had our boys, we found it difficult to get out in actual hiking trails because they were so overcrowded.  I'm sure anyone living in a highly populated area, found a similar situation.  While some wore masks, many didn't and it is difficult to socially distant on a very narrow trail!  We were then forced to get creative because we needed to get outside both for our boys to get wiggles out but also to get our vitamin D dose and our dose of fresh air and nature.  We forged trails, we explored our "backyard" radius of 3 miles more than we ever had.  We learned new birds (and watched a hummingbird care for her eggs and even saw the baby bird hatch), new plants, and discovered new little living creatures.  I was purely amazed at how long we could actually explore and how such simplicity could give such joy.  

I think that's the "rewind" that Covid19 provided for us.  We all were so busy, so scheduled (many even over-scheduled), we actually didn't stop to watch a bird hatch, to smell a fresh rose (or in my case a giant hibiscus!), or to actually stop what we were doing to pick up the phone can actually call someone.  Guilty!  I know I was!  Texting is faster and easier.  Guess what?  Phone calls have helped me in covid19.  Putting together a puzzle has become a family event again that I hadn't known since I was a child.  As our life is slowly getting back to normal, but cases surge, I challenge you to not lose sight of what you learned in Covid19 during the shelter in place orders.   I think the community that we had come to appreciate, even while sheltering-in-place, can do us all good to keep around.  Think about your silver lining.  What is it?  Has it lasted?  How can you keep it around?  I've love to hear from you: tracy@desotosport.com or to comment below, if you feel so inclined.  Good or bad, in fact.  Let's chat.  We are here.  Community.