10 Things I Am Grateful For During This Pandemic

There is something which needs saying right at the start of this blog, living through a pandemic is rubbish!

As someone who has lived in the UK all of my life, I have been fortunate to avoid exposure to things like pandemics and therefore have not experienced the consequences they bring. But my Covid-19 has taught me that pandemics bring with them a great deal of misery and suffering. For me, this is an unequivocal fact, and I don’t think there are many people who would oppose that statement.

BUT, it is also easy when listening to the news, reading our newspapers, or catching up on our social media to become entrenched in this negativity which has been brought on us by Covid-19. Now let's be straight, I am someone who appreciates honest and realistic appraisals of situations and events. I don’t want doom and gloom, neither do I want being told things that are sugar-coated. Doom and gloom can become harmful to our mental and physical health and unrealistic promises or expectations will lead to disappointment further down the line. I believe that we need a sense of balance and a positive realistic mindset. To personally maintain this, I have tried to remember the things for which I am grateful, throughout these horrible few months - and as long as it may seem, it is still only a few months. I want to share these with you now in my ’10 Things I Am Grateful For During This Pandemic’. (These are in no particular order and are just some of the things that could make up a longer list - there are more items, which could be added to this gratitude list).

1. Safety

My list must begin with an acknowledgement and appreciation that I, and those I

love, have been kept safe throughout the pandemic. Although our daughter succumbed to the virus in its early days, it's good to be able to say with thanks, that unlike many families, we have been able to avoid the terrible consequences of the virus. And whilst I’m grateful for my own situation, I offer my deepest sympathies to any who are reading this whose experience is different. My thoughts and prayers go out to you all. I am grateful for my safety.

2. Key workers

I remember here, those brave people who have kept our society going whilst the pandemic raged. The health workers, teachers, shop workers, council workers, care workers, tradespeople, power workers, entertainers, people who operate our transport systems, journalists and all those who have worked throughout this time to ensure that we are able to live as near normal as is possible in such a situation. We owe you all a great vote of thanks for putting yourselves in the front-line to continue providing our services. I am grateful to all key workers.

3. Scientists

Throughout all of this time, there have been those who have been working tirelessly to find a vaccine to offer us long term protection from the virus. Others have also been working hard, behind the scenes, people like those from Public Health and other backgrounds, who have also been working hard, looking for ways to protect us until we have the possibility of safety through vaccination. I also think of those who have been prepared to offer their bodies to test out potential vaccines, for the common good. I am grateful to the scientists and those others.

4. Means of Communication

We are fortunate to be living in the 21st century, as we have had technological assistance which our forebears could only dream of. Things like TV, radio, social media, face time, zoom, computers, mobile phones, have all not just kept us informed but enabled us to communicate and see those we need and want to see. In this way, we have been able not just to see others, but have medical appointments, work, apply for jobs, have interviews, and so much more without the necessity of face to face meetings. Whilst, this is in some ways a poor substitute for real face to face meetings and contact, it has enabled us to stay in touch and some businesses to continue operating. These relatively new forms of communication have quite literally been a blessing to us enabling many things which previously would have been impossible to continue to be maintained. I am grateful therefore for our new forms of communication.

5. Family and Friends

Family and friends compliment and bring value to our lives in so many ways. They encourage us, correct us, teach us, help us to have fun and give us love and a sense of belonging and worth. The past few months have been difficult in this respect as we have been isolated and by necessity cut ourselves off from these special people. I have missed the person to person contact, which I was previously used to. I realise that I can continue to receive support from those who are close to me. The regular phone call, the zoom call, the social media greeting or post, the photos which are now so easy to send via social media or email. These things mean that I have continued to remain in touch, to get the support and encouragement I have needed and to give it back to those I love. It has been difficult not seeing people, but I think the pandemic has helped me appreciate those I hold close. I am grateful for my friends and family.

6. Safe and Secure

For me as a retiree, I remain constantly grateful for the security I have in my situation. I have a home, where I’ve been able to spend my time during ‘lockdowns’ and throughout the rest of the year. I have not needed to go out, except for socially distanced dog walking and exercise. The essentials, like shopping, have been delivered to me, via online retailers. The scheme I live in has remained Covid secure and thankfully no one inside the scheme has so far contracted the virus. There are a number of resources within it which keep us all safe (see my earlier blog about this).

Although. we are living on a budget, I have no need to work, as my pension income is proving sufficient. When we went away, in the summer, we used our motorhome. This again proved to be Covid safe as all services are - shower, toilet, water, heating, cooking, sleeping and relaxing are available within the vehicle. To me, it's an ideal way to get away in these circumstances, for there is no need to have close contact with other people. I am grateful for the way I have been able to keep Safe and Secure.

7. Entertainment

For this, once again I am grateful to today’s technology. The internet has made so much available to occupy, entertain and educate us. I particularly enjoy following and viewing sport. Satellite TV has meant I have been able to satisfy my desire for this throughout much of the pandemic. Terrestrial television has continued to entertain and inform with its mix of programmes, and various ‘catch up’ services being available from individual broadcasters. Added to this, subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon Prime have given me a wide option and variety of programmes, films or documentaries. I have also continued to appreciate the content produced by creators on YouTube, many of who have continued to produce enjoyable content throughout these difficult times. YouTube has also given me the opportunity to share in live worship, learn new skills and be entertained. I have also tried to read some of the books which had remained closed on my bookshelf (at home or as ebooks) and I have wanted to read for some time. Generally, therefore, I have been able to keep myself occupied. I am grateful for all the forms of entertainment which have been available to me.

8. ‘The Simple Things’

One of the great things about all of this is that some of the things I am grateful for have cost me financially nothing - they’ve been free. The wonders I have seen in nature throughout the seasons, as spring changed to summer, summer to autumn and autumn to winter. The changes in the plants and trees, the wildlife I see from my window, the neighbouring park I wrote about in my last blog, dog walking, the friendly smile or greeting from a passer-by, the pleasure of writing these blogs and the encouragement I receive from doing it. It has been a great lesson to see that there is so much I have previously taken for granted. When I look, I find that there are so many simple things which I am grateful for. Sounds, smells, touch, taste and the things I see - the five senses stuff, which add so much to our lives. The last few months have raised my awareness of all this. I am grateful for ‘the simple things.’

9. Memories

My memory has become very active over the past few months (and I don’t think its just because I’m getting older)!

Throughout this time I have been regularly reminded of how things were prior to Covid-19, which has caused me to reflect, reminisce and sometimes dream about previous significant personal life events. I might be reminded about my childhood and growing up, getting married, having our children, the various jobs and roles I’ve had, the people I’ve met, the places I’ve been and so on. Helping me with this has been conversations with family members, photographs, letters or emails I’ve sent, the souvenirs I’ve purchased or the gifts I’ve received. This has been an opportunity to reflect, to remember the good (and not so good) times and be grateful for the variety of experiences I have mainly enjoyed over my life so far. It is good to remember. I am grateful to all those who have helped me make so many happy memories.

10. Looking Forwards

But of course, we're not going to be in this situation forever. The virus will have its day, the awaited vaccine will hopefully work and we will learn to live with it in whatever way we need to. We will adapt and that promised ‘new normal’ will come. So, I am not just looking back, or living day for today, I am also looking forward. Looking forward to the day when I can meet again with friends and family, looking forward to the time I can hug them or touch them, looking forward to the day when I can go shopping without worrying about whether its a wise thing to do, looking forward to going to a restaurant without having to ‘sign in’ for track and trace, looking forward to the time when I can travel again without restrictions and see and visit some of the amazing places we have both nearby and further away, looking forward to the day when I won’t need a mask or hand sanitiser, looking forward to so, so, much. And whilst I cannot do these things just yet, I can plan for them, prepare for them and with anticipation get ready to once again be doing them. I know that there will be a new tomorrow and I look forward with longing, hope and gratitude for it to come. I am grateful that I can look forward.

So, as I said at the beginning of this blog. Covid-19 and everything it brings with it (lockdowns, social distancing, mask-wearing, illness, premature death etc), is rubbish because it negatively affects our lives in so many ways. Yet within this misery which has been brought upon, there are things and people for which we can be grateful for and too. My list above, speaks of some of those which I have personally experienced.

For me, considering the ’10 Things I Am Grateful For During This Pandemic’ has been helpful, and I would recommend it to you as an exercise which may help you focus on the positives rather than those damaging negatives. Your list may be similar, or it may be different, (we are all different after all - and that’s something else we can be grateful for). Just give yourself a few moments to think about this, to compile your own ‘gratitude list’, I think you’ll find it both enjoyable and helpful.

Thank you for spending more stephentime9 with me.

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Till next time stay safe.