Dear Friends,
A text from my granddaughter, McKenzie, sparked me into thinking about you all. Her text was laced with fear because of all the negative news. I wondered how many of you have been tempted to be afraid. Those of you whom I’ve had the honor to meet (and some get to know) makes me know most of you have put this challenge in perspective. When I told McKenzie to focus on the fact that 70,000 people, worldwide have recovered from the virus, she was shocked. She said she hadn’t heard anything about recovery. That’s because the news notoriously thrives on bad news. We need to be terrified when the headline reads “Family in Brooklyn Found Healthy.”
Let’s, together look at the blessings of this experience. First and foremost, the precautions have sent us home! Mark Cubin was interviewed the other morning because the NBA closed its season and he owns a team. He said, “Spring break is going to be different this year…instead of trips and parties, it’s going to be a time of forced family fun.
Forced family fun! I love that. This virus is causing millions to prioritize the importance of family and home. Just remember all the work we do for our money (if our priorities are right) is for our families. We love our homes, but gradually we’ve replaced being at home creating a peaceful loving place for our families, with more and more time spent outside our homes.
All the cancellations of meetings, work, classes and entertainment venues are testimony to the volume of outside activities we have committed to these days. “Damn the concert was cancelled.” Damn the birthday party was cancelled.” “Damn Darn no church service.” Depending on the level of your disappointment, let this be a wake-up call. There’s no place like home. You can play music at home. You can call the birthday guy and wish him a happy birthday and you can pray and commune with God privately. God is everywhere not just at church.
This virus is reminding us of that. It’s bringing us together in recognizing what’s really important. It’s causing us to return to our homes where we can re-remember how much we love our families, how important our homes are and it’s even causing many, through forced family time to address improvements that can be made. Have you gotten so busy that you’ve neglected important aspects of your home life?
Take this blessed opportunity to get back to basics. No more rushing, no more over-booked frenzy. This is the perfect time to slow down and take time to be with your family. Play with them. You have been given an unique opportunity to find creative ways to enjoy this time together, creative ways to feed your family, creative ways to lift your families’ spirits.
R & R
Turn this self-isolation into an R & R. Let those teens sleep in. You sleep in. Take time now to reflect and rejuvenate, and when this is over, you and your family will come out of this stronger and happier. You can take this opportunity to clean out the garage or laundry room. Maybe while you’re avoiding the corona bug you’ll get the bug to streamline and organize your wardrobe or help your children to de-junk their rooms. Maybe you can make some very happy memories.
Today we are blessed with social media. We don’t have to wash our hands after we go on Face Book. The internet has given us such a gift. We can stay in touch without touching. My son Michael and his family live in Brooklyn and yet I have immediate access to him and his family even though he’s so far away. This invisible virus will have a profound positive effect on each of us. Don’t miss it.
The best thing we can do for ourselves, our country and the world is to stay positive and healthy. You know what to do. Take care of yourselves.
Blessings,
If you need a little cheering up, I recommend The Sidetracked Sister's Happiness File audio book! You'll be entertained and it will entice you to get organized for the fun of it.