Revelations

It is a time of revelations.

I’m not talking about the end of the world here.  I am talking about personal discoveries.

As I was walking yesterday afternoon, I passed two neighbors in adjoining yards.  The street was quiet and the two were keeping their social distance, so it made it possible for me to overhear a snippet of their conversation.  The two women were discussing what it was like to have their children receiving education at home.  One mother described how her young school-age daughter had taken control of the situation creating lists and folders, organizing the homework and getting things done.  The mother expressed both pride and surprise.  In the midst of this crisis, the child revealed something about herself; there was something inside her that had not previously had an opening.  When given the opportunity, new talents and a new maturity emerged.

Hmm.  This revelation gave me something more to chew on than my peppermint gum.

While the current circumstances are weighty, there is also something freeing about the fact this crisis is happening to everyone and not just a few who must struggle on alone.  Every person will be touched in some way.  I recognize that some will be hit much harder than others, but there will be a new shared understanding.  There is no blame or shame in a job loss, in having worry about paying the rent or the mortgage, struggling with homework, or running out of toilet paper.

When the pandemic is over, there will be a system-wide re-set.  The world will be changed.  What types of businesses will there be?  Will we bring some good manufacturing jobs back to the country so that we are not without pharmaceuticals, PPE, and tech parts in a future crisis?  Which companies will survive?  What lessons will have been learned about an at-home workforce? 

Individually, we have time to “find ourselves.”  Some will find they like working from home.  Others will find it impossible.  Some will relish the homeschooling and may decide to continue.  Others will have far more appreciation for teachers and for their child’s unique needs and abilities.  Some will get the push they’ve long needed to leave a job they hate.  Others will return to work with a renewed appreciation and vigor.

Some will have the opportunity to work in a job they might not have considered before like going from a desk job to a labor job, perhaps in a grocery store or shipping company.  During this time some will volunteer at foodbanks or blood drives and try their hands at service.  People may have the opportunity to think about what it is they really want to do when they return to work.

We now have time to examine our priorities.  Some families will realize that they can make do with less work so they can enjoy more time at home.  Without expenses for transportation, child care, morning coffee, work lunches, dry cleaning, gasoline, car maintenance, housekeeping, or lawn care, there will be new possibilities for addressing quality of life for families.

Individually, it is a time to re-evaluate not just our spending habits, but the relationships in our lives. How much do we need to be with people?  Who do we most enjoy as company?  Who wears us out?    How much time should we be spending on social media?  We will be spending much more time in our personal space and with our stuff.  Will we see more clearly how much we really need, what we can share, and what is weighing us down?

As I make the turn for home, I digest my thoughts.  What will these weeks at home reveal to me about myself?  Like the school girl, I will make some lists and do some homework.  I will pay attention to the people, things, and activities I miss. I will notice what brings me the greatest joy.   I feel a hopeful curiosity.  Perhaps there is something in me just waiting for an opening.

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