I am not a celebrant of most of these commercialized seasons: Valentines, Thanksgiving, Halloween, which in my opinion are simply aimed at making money for retailers. However, since we have just ended the thanking season, I thought I should ponder on what else I should be thankful for, in addition life, family, health and jobs. Without hesitation, Covid-19 came to mind. You may think that I am crazy. With all the sickness, deaths, disruptions, social ills, and long-term psychological and social effects, could there be any semblance of positivity regarding Covid-19? You bet there is!
Take time to enjoy the cinnamon tea
Pre Covid-19, I had made deliberate efforts to slow down and not rush. I get flustered easily and so I prefer to plan everything as much as is possible. With Covid-19 however, I have had to practice waiting and patience even more. Like so many of you, I now stand in queues at grocery stores to purchase provisions, because store capacity is limited, (25% in Washington) to avoid crowds. Or having to wait for cashiers to sanitize the conveyor belt and pin pad between each customer. Even getting a medical check with my primary physician involved waiting in a virtual line for one month just to get a phone appointment. We have all had to take it easy, and not behave as though we are microwaving through life.
Covid-19 has shown us what is important
People are important. During this covidious year I have observed the changes surrounding the social interactions within families, neighbours, and friends. Prior to 2020, a typical day involved late arrivals from work, and evenings geared towards dinner preparation, and winding down to start the next day. This cycle repeated itself week after week until Covid-19 reared its head. Post March 2020, I have observed daily walks through surrounding neighborhoods. During the day, there are bonding opportunities between parents and children: sometimes it is a kiss to the cheek, or the changing of a diaper, or helping a toddler understand the concept of race. Neighbours who were once so busy and could only manage ‘hi”, with a wave from across the street, have now begun real conversations, albeit at a distance. These seemingly miniscule actions are what being human is all about, after all, we are social beings meant to be, well, SOCIAL.
It is not always about the Benjamins, but it is a bonus
This past week I crossed the ten-thousand-dollar earnings mark through Instacart. I spent April, May, and September to November as a part-time gig worker. I always read about side gigs but never had the opportunity to become involved until Covid-19 hit. Initially, I did not set any targets as to what I wanted to earn. Almost immediately though, the goal became $60 on evenings after my regular job, and $150 on each of my two days off. After taking a three-month break, I then decided I wanted to make $10,000 gig earnings for 2020. With a full month to spare, I have attained that goal. Check out my blog on Instacart at dillatalks.com, and my YouTube video below.
As the bible verse says, ‘in every circumstance, we should give thanks’, and these days of Covid-19 should not be an exception. Let us be positive.
DillaTalks 