Each day around the world, our daily lives are facing challenges that generations haven’t seen before. Jobs are going completely remote, toilet paper is vanishing from the shelves and law enforcement can’t place more than 10 people in a holding cell. In case you aren’t reading this in real time, I’m referring to the timeframe in history of the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic. Italy has 427 deaths a day (as of today) and the Class of 2020 has their final semester and memories ripped from them. How can there possibly be a silver lining to school closures, record deaths and air-borne hysteria?
After this “war with an invisible enemy”, we will all return to buying milk on Mondays and boarding from terminal B17 on Fridays. For some of us, our daily routine hasn’t changed. We still visit the grocery stores, complain about low inventory with our buddies in a dive bar, and express the over exaggeration of our friends who refuse to leave their house. I believe in the near future (as of March 21, 2020) most of society except essential job functions like healthcare workers will be forced to stay the heck home. And from that chaos, I pray for these silver linings.
1. People will appreciate their paycheck.
My family is fortunate enough to receive paychecks during this time. Airline personnel, hotel staff, restaurant chefs and the like are not so fortunate. Sure, tax season might be pushed off until July and gas prices are well under $2 a gallon but think about the families who live paycheck to paycheck. Even from a conservative standpoint, Americans can see the suffering economy and agree that change or innovation is required for the future to be bright.
2. People will appreciate the food on their plate.
Where do the wild Doritos grow? How can I make beef wellington at home? We’re all about to become the next off-brand Rachel Ray which might make us appreciate the food on our tray. Think about your hobby. Writing songs, DIY crafts, or binging Netflix all require time and energy. Once that series is over or Achey Breaky Heart finally strums to the right chords, you feel relief and a sense of accomplishment. That’s how preparing a meal feels. We should appreciate each pea that lands on our plate because America is filled with food insecurities. While you might be complaining about the missing loaf of Sara Lee, this is an everyday life for some communities. It may not be physically missing from shelves, but it sure is on their grocery list and pocketbook.
3. People will appreciate face-to- face communication.
When I return to my hometown, I usually go out to my 87-year-old grandmother’s house to play a game of Phase 10 and chat about the latest Bold & The Beautiful drama. However, I’ve been home for exactly one week and haven’t seen my grandma once. I can’t. She doesn’t have internet, Facetime, or visitors to relay the message. Each morning, I call to see if she is still negative for fever, body aches and a dry cough but it’s not the same as arguing in person about who dealt the cards last round.
Who knows how long this pandemic will last. Some outlets suggest 4 weeks, others 2 months, and healthcare officials are saying over a year. No matter how much time passes, I optimistically believe we as a public will value, at least for a little bit, actions we’ve previously taken for granted. Buy gift cards to your favorite restaurants, provide meals to the school children and stay home so we can create cherished memories with our loved ones who are running out of time.
Stay healthy, Earth.
I love this Becca. Good job!