Unexpected Beginnings — Unlikely Hero

May 25

May 25 Unexpected Beginnings

A few weeks ago I was reeling from the impact of COVID on our lives. As time has passed, I am beginning to change my focus to the new opportunities that have opened up as a result of this global pandemic. For example, I am working from home and enjoying homemade whipped coffee courtesy of Julia who has perfected this delicious beverage over the past few weeks. Who needs Starbucks?! I like that there is less traffic on the road and less people in the grocery stores. There are more events and movies being streamed online so I can enjoy them from the comfort of my couch. It’s an introvert’s paradise! (I know my extrovert friends may not share my perspective.)

Even though quarantine and social-distancing fatigue has set in, I sense a new hope and optimism emerging. I am amazed and impressed at the ingenuity of humanity especially in the use of technology in bridging gaps created by the global crisis. While physically apart, I feel like we have figured out how to be better connected using technology. We are also rediscovering (or discovering) gems that have been with us the whole time, but we just didn’t realize it. My deck has become my oasis and I’ve used it more in the past month than the prior 18+ months since we moved in. It was always there. I just didn’t see it in the same way then that I do now. We have a new spaciousness that we didn’t have before. Friends are learning new languages, trying new recipes, reading books, going for walks or learning to play an instrument. In many ways, we are starting fresh. The “old” is passing away and we are experiencing the birth of something new. The birthing process is usually messy. But the product of the process is usually beautiful.

The best gift that this crisis has given me is time with family. The fact that David and Julia are home right now is still very surreal and wonderful. When they walked out of our care and unto the bus on In-processing day at USAFA, we had to come to grips with the reality that they would never be coming “home”. Not in the same way that college kids typically do. They would have time to visit for a few days here and there, but this – this reality of them spending weeks at home - was impossible.

How about you? What gift have you been given in the midst of all this? I am committed to searching for the positives in this new era. This requires letting go of the past and the things that were predictable and comfortable and embracing the new wonders that await. I feel like we have hit a reset button on the world, and we get to start fresh with how we care for ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, coworkers, and our planet. What we thought was impossible, is now possible…in a good way.