6 Months Gone

As of today, it has been exactly six months since everything shut down due to Covid. At that point, we all thought it would be a matter of weeks, maybe a month or so, until life got back to normal. But here we are, six months gone, and we are nowhere near normal. In fact, I firmly believe that life will never be just the way it was before. These kinds of worldwide events always leave their mark and I think the world we are left with afterwards will be changed in subtle ways.

My family has been changed in subtle ways as well. Our faith has been increased. Our relationships are stronger. We are more certain than ever that the Lord has a plan for us and knows things that we do not. And we know that he has our best interests in mind. If asked, I’m sure every one of us would say that we wish Covid had not become a thing. But if it hadn’t, would we be seeing these blessings in our lives? I’m not sure we would. In the church we have always been taught that one of the main reasons we were sent to earth was so that we could be tested. And we are also taught that adversity makes us stronger. I have seen that in the way my children respond to yet another cancellation or disappointment. I have seen it in their increased understanding of the scriptures we read. I have seen it in their attitudes towards our family scripture study and SCONES. I have seen it in their willingness to wear a mask and keep moving forward in their schooling despite the anxieties and restrictions involved.

In general, I think we are all doing the best we can to move forward and create our new normal. Kev is still working from home and while he was certain that he would never be able to work effectively from here, he has found a routine that works for him. Nathan is still working and has jumped back in to school with some trepidation, but also with the realization that some of the changes to his schedule that came about in large part due to Covid will bring him a great deal of joy. Daniel was embraced the complete rewriting of his life timeline and has jumped into college life with both feet and a great deal of enthusiasm. Matthew is learning to face his fears and has realized that his friends and his music spark joy in his heart. Malia is adjusting to altered school routines and finding that different is not always bad. As for me, I’m being reminded that it’s ok to show weakness and that I don’t have to be the strong one all the time. Well, that and I’ve picked up some great tips from binge watching “The Great British Baking Show.” (I can now make a very passable ciabatta. It has become one of my family’s favorites.)

Oh, and as a last hopeful note, my 94-year-old uncle and my similarly aged aunt who both tested positive for Covid a few weeks back are both well on the road to recovery. They are certainly made of tough stuff.