Saturday, April 11, 2020

Family Celebrations in the Age of Coronavirus

During Spring Break, I was supposed to go visit my mom for a "Mom and Me" solo venture where I flew in for the bulk of the week. It's become a bit of an annual tradition, and one of our favorite times of the year. This year, that trip was canceled, due to the growing concerns over coronavirus.

Mid-March, we were also supposed to have a family gathering with my husband's family for his father. Again, amidst the closing of schools and the encouragement of social distancing and self-quarantining, that was canceled. And don't even get me started as we curiously await what's to happen with senior year prom and other events like graduation, and my daughter's birthday. All the while doing remote learning school using Zoom & Seesaw.

Passover was this week. Easter is tomorrow. More big family events for many people. Again, quarantines are in place and it's far more prudent to social distance as I see the growing numbers on the maps I daily stalk of Johns Hopkins, World Health Organization, and US's Center for Disease Control.

It's making for a weird spring, that's for sure.

It's certainly the right thing to do to try to flatten the curve for the hospital and keep this growing pandemic from doing just that--growing. But even with the right mindset of being "safe" versus "stuck" at home, it's still makes for an awkward spring season.

That's where gratitude comes in handy: I'm grateful it is spring, because it's the return to my back porch & the birds and flowering trees. I'm thankful we live in a time of tech where I can FaceTime & call my mom several states away, be connected with all via social media, binge watch whatever I'm watching these days, & be able to teach remotely via the computer. I have my family of four under the same roof & we are all safe. We live in the day of modern medicine. We still have access to everything we need. We have the gift of time in a way we've never had before.

No, we won't be having the Easter we expected, but just like everything--it's a matter of perspective and the attitude you bring it. One day, this will all be behind us, and my hope for you is the memory of this time lasts so you can really find that gratitude in the little things. For some inspiring Easter quotes for those of you who celebrate that holiday, check out Parade Magazine's list of 100 Easter Quotes--both sacred and secular. May your weekend be as beautiful as you make it and a gift, no matter what!


Image from https://parade.com/1006821/marynliles/easter-quotes/ and https://www.facebook.com/WarehamDNR/photos/a.502105013206703/2809933259090522/?type=3&theaterhttps://www.kindpng.com/downpng/himhJR_spring-break-clip-art-hd-png-download/ and https://www.philipchircop.com/post/64037338700/gratitude-unlocks-the-fullness-of-life-it-turns

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