On May 28th, my son and I and a team of helpers loaded our belongings onto a U-Haul truck and drove from our home of nearly twenty years to our “new” (circa 1998) home in a subdivision just five miles away. We have spent the weeks since managing renovations, unpacking boxes, and settling into our new space. While I definitely wouldn’t recommend moving in the middle of a global pandemic, I will say that all the associated activities have been a welcome distraction from the constant barrage of news and negativity that has become a part of the “new normal” in American life since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A person who prefers to err on the side of caution, I haven’t been to a hair or nail salon, dined in a restaurant, or taught in my studio since the quarantine started mid-March. Most of my shopping is curbside pick-up or mail order and all the concerts I had scheduled this year, along with my August recording session, have been postponed. My feelings towards all this run the gamut from minor irritation to bitter disappointment. At the same time, I recognize that these are merely blips on the radar scheme of my life; so many people have endured so much worse. My heart truly goes out to those who have battled illness, lost loved ones, or suffered financial devastation due to the events of the past several months.
Of course, it hasn’t all been bad. I have enjoyed planning and preparing nutritious meals, spent countless hours buried in the pages of good books, and discovered a few good television series and movies on various streaming sites. More important, I have had a few important lessons reinforced in the midst of all the mayhem. Here is the short list.
- My health is something to be cherished and protected.
- Handshakes and hugs are more valuable than gold.
- Giving of my time and energy to those who are less fortunate not only strengthens the community, it also increases my own sense of worth and well-being. Win-win!
- I can live better spending less, and I can do without many of the material things I once considered essential.
- Time and money invested in travel – seeing new places, exploring other cultures, meeting new people – was well spent. The only trips I regret are trips I didn’t take, and I look forward to traveling again just as soon as it safe to do.
- Being busy every minute of every day is not the same thing as being productive; it is okay to sit still and simply BE once in a while.
- It is important for me to be as positive and uplifting as possible when communicating with others; this is especially true when posting on social media and when conversing with others whose views do not necessarily coincide with my own.
- Supportive, positive, nurturing relationships are the most important thing; I will not hold space for critical, negative, toxic people in my life.
- Life is short and unpredictable. I will take at least one action every day to bring me closer to fulfilling my dreams.
- The value of music cannot be overestimated.
Speaking of music, for the month of August (my birthday month!) use the coupon code SAVE30 to save 30% on all online orders. Happy shopping!