Five Things I’ve Appreciated During the Pandemic

It’s been almost a month since I’ve been in my home due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Boy, isn’t it an eye opening experience!! This has given me a lot of time to reflect on things I should appreciate more in life. With that being said, here are five things I’ve appreciated since the lockdown started:

1. The Outdoors – I for one am not a fan of the outdoors. The hot weather, bugs, and being sweaty are instant turnoffs. I’ve never had a desire to go outside just to take a walk around the neighborhood unti now! I may also feel this way because there’s been constant rain in Atlanta until the pandemic came into place. Now it’s beautiful outside and I can’t resist! Once the pandemic is over, I may venture into something like go horseback riding or ride a bike (baby steps lol).

2. Quality Time with Family and Friends – I consider myself an introvert but I still enjoy the company of family and friends on occassions. I’ve began to miss my loved ones since I can’t see them during this time. We are fortunate to have alternatives such as Zoom, Marco Polo, and Facetime (I have an Andriod though). However, it doesn’t take the place of personal interaction with those that you love. I’m craving shopping trips with my mother, eating out with my girls, and meeting with my small group.

3. Essential Workers – This hits home to a lot of us since most of us know someone who is considered an essential worker. My husband works for the United States Postal Service and my father is a truck driver, so their jobs must go on as normal while I have the privilege of working from home. Other occupations like doctors and nurses are more at risk of getting coronavirus as they care for patients and help prevent a bigger spread of the virus. It’s wonderful to witness people getting together to show their gratitude towards essential workers. I ‘m also putting teachers in this category since they aren’t appreciated enough. But I’m sure that has changed since parents have to teach their child at home. During this time, I’ve tried to show my appreciation for essential workers by participating in donations for meals to medical workers, for example. Of course, prayer is always necessary.

4. My Health – It’s crazy how the pandemic has forced us to take care of ourselves more. Wash our hands, take vitamins, and build our immune system, for example. Aren’t we supposed to be doing that anyway?? In all seriousness, I was taking advantage of my health before the spreading of Covid 19 but I’ve learned to value it more. Even if that means working out for at least 30 minutes a day and eating better. This can also apply to my mental health, which is not discussed enough in the African American community. We only have one life to live on this earth so I’m learning to cherish it by taking better care of myself, mind, body, and soul.

5. My Time with God – If the lockdown didn’t give me a reason to stop and pay more attention to God, then I don’t know what did. Sometimes, I get so busy and am constantly on the go that sometimes I don’t have time for God like I should. I have no problem starting my mornings with God but my struggle is giving my time to Him throughout the day. Sitting in this house has allowed me to draw nearer to God especially during a time when we need Him more than ever. Apparently, I’m not alone. According to the Bible app, it has witnessed the largest engagement increase ever!! Between searching for bible verses, sharing scripture to others, and prayer requests, everyone is in need of hope. I’m praying this time with God isn’t temporary for many of us.

What is something you’ve grown to appreciate during your time at home? As usual, thank for stopping by!! 🙂