Amidst the chaos and catastrophe that has been 2020, I feel as though we’ve all managed to somewhat lose sight of the priorities in life. With so much negativity surrounding us, it’s hard to keep sight of the light at the end of the tunnel or the hope of a better tomorrow. Most importantly, some of us have lost sight of ourselves. I don’t mean to speak on behalf of the general public or to bombard you with words you may not relate to – I’m only speaking from my own feelings and experiences and hoping to relate to a few people.
Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been feeling a blue so deep the oceans wouldn’t dare compete against it. With little to no social contact, minimal outings, and the harsh reality of new-age rules- I cannot help but wonder what the world has come to. This isn’t to say that I disagree with the rules! I absolutely agree with them and see their importance in keeping all of us safe. I’m praying that we all follow protocol to hopefully rid ourselves of this literal disease if only a day sooner. Alas, I shall not delve into the dwellings of sad reality for that has been talked about enough. Rather I am here to mention a few of the things I am thankful for.
I really wanted to talk about some of the reasons I’ve managed to keep my sanity. I urge you to think about the things that you’re grateful for, especially in lue of Thanksgiving. Personally, I am thankful for my friends, my family and especially my cat. Though I’m also thankful for the little things and small moments that can mean so much. I’m thankful for the moment after a sunrise on a warm day, when the grass is covered in a layer of dew and the sun is low in the sky as I lay curled in my bed listening to the birds sing. I’m thankful for those moments where I fall asleep filled with joy from the day I just had.
I’m thankful for the moments that sweeten a bad day – when nothing is going your way (maybe you failed a quiz, or got splashed by a car on your morning walk) and you set out on a walk or go to the corner store to stock up on junk food that may or may not fill the void of a miserable day, and a stranger smiles at you. It’s not a passing smile, nay, it’s warm and friendly and fills you with a surge of bliss. Even a pleasant encounter with a passing stranger can be just what you needed to turn your frown upside down.
I’m thankful for the moment when you’re driving in a car with friends and that ONE song comes on – the song that prompts a collective screech of glee followed by hurtling the words at the top of your lungs in between fits of giggles. When this happens, I find myself looking around the car at my friends and silently thinking ‘this is great’ and how happy I’ll be when I look back on this moment in the future. Memories like these have kept me sane during this trying time. I think we all need to reflect on the little moments and the things we are grateful for, and use it as fuel to barrel head-strong through this pandemic towards more memorable moments.