Simple joys

Quarantine has helped many of us make realizations that have all boiled into what we call simple joys. We are thankful to wake up healthy and alive knowing that other people are suffering. I suppose, it’s all about counting our blessings.

Many times I find myself hesitating from complaining about little things that one can learn to let go of. To be honest, I’ve found myself to be extra patient about even the bigger things, the stresses that come along the way and resort to just being thankful for every breathe.

Doing chores have been a great means to practice temperance and discipline despite a long and sometimes an extremely hard day.

Treating myself to something extra has been placed on the sidelines and limited to basic needs. Even putting some make up has somewhat become secondary considering that this new normal puts many other things first.

I’m not saying that I have mastered the art of being “good” in this pandemic as certainly I have my moments. I am saying however that I have found my joy even in the smallest things such as coming home to finding an extra can of soda which I thought I didn’t have on hand.

Paying bigger tips and being extra courteous to my delivery man has in a way added to this joy and helps me realize that these extra connections are bonding us all. I suppose this is the irony of it. That despite this pandemic, the little things are helping us create some happiness, whether we be alone or by making an extra effort that pays many things forward.

My grandfather will soon be a hundred years old and the stories of his life has helped me to learn and find the good stuff, even in the smallest of things.

2020 is a year many of us will never forget. We all can’t wait for this to be over yet, I am certain, if we do survive this, we will live to tell the next generation how COVID-19 has changed our lives.

I hope, and by then, it will also be about the simple joys we found which helped us survive.