I watched a news show that showed how one company is preparing their space for their employees to return to work. Plexiglass partitions between cubicles, arrows on the floor to direct traffic and red lines on the floor to show people where they need to stand in order to be at least 6 feet away from others were a few of the preparations. The one thing that I had not considered were the elevators. The elevators had two blue spots on the floor for people to stand on…only two people. I began to think about how long it would take for people to get from one floor to the next, especially if they had many flights of stairs between stops. Things are changing.
The environment in our communal spaces will change. We will be encouraged to not hug our friends on Sunday mornings at church, we will be more aware of the distance between ourselves and others as we walk the aisles of the grocery store, and masks may become the new norm. All of this is yet to be determined, but what I do know is that things will be different.
It makes me think about how I want to move differently in the world. I am not talking about social distancing, but what about the things in my life that make me who I am. What do I want to do differently after quarantine? What can I learn from this time?
I want to listen to others with great intention. Being present for others is not just a gift for the receiver, but as a person listening to another, we are given the gift of being a confidant. It is a privilege to be the one who listens and listens well.
I need to stop long enough to hear my heartbeat. Before the pandemic I never stopped. I moved from one task to the next with a long list of items to complete. Stopping to breathe and listen to what was stirring in my soul was not a priority. It has taken a pandemic for me to get serious about my mindfulness practice and make myself a priority.
Every day I am learning more about myself. Not just because of quarantine, but it has helped. I want to be a better person. A better wife, mother and friend. I am grateful that I can use this time to reflect and consider what I want to change in my life.
How will you change as a result of this pandemic?
Today I Am Thankful For:
- Oranges
- New recipes
- White candles
- Carpet powder
- 80-degree weather
