And then Covid

I have had so many conversations with people where the phrase, “and then covid.” Is part of the sentence. The pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives, but what I find so hopeful is how much resilience we have shown with these changes in our lives. Here are a few examples.

The lockdown

A total lockdown was something that most of us had never experienced, and it required us to be creative, resilient, kind, understanding, inventive, and patient.

I was a teacher when the pandemic first hit. We were given a day to collect everything we needed from school and prepare to teach online the next day. Most of us did not have much experience teaching with zoom, and the students didn’t know what to expect. I was so nervous in the first class because I was afraid that the technology would not work for me, but everything was fine. The first thing I did was make sure the students were o.k. They were afraid and not sure what was going to happen next. One student asked me if God was going to destroy us. I established communication first by creating a group me chat that students could use to reach me, and I gave them all my cell phone number. Both forms of communication came in handy many times, including the time I turned off the zoom instead of the power point, and a student texted, “Madame, are you coming back?” They could tell me if they were having issues with connection, or if they had a question. Teaching had to become more creative and interactive to engage the students.

Jobs

Restaurants had to close for public dining, so they turned to take-out orders. I know many restaurants suffered, but I have also heard many stories of customers supporting the local restaurants. I am still trying to figure out where all the workers went after the shutdown, but maybe many have been creative about working from home or starting new jobs. Business owners have had to be creative to make things work. I hope the public shows appreciation for those workers who show up.

Food

I was so proud of our country when people stepped up to help feed the people who needed it. Farmers donated produce and those who could donated to food banks. We are dealing with shortages on the shelf at the grocery store now and learning to pivot again. My daughter has a one-year-old and I have seen through her how mothers are working together to help each other find enough formula. This is the way our country should be, united to prosper. I have to admit that I…