My stepmom made a beautiful post on Facebook that was unlike so many posts during the pandemic right now. It was positive and focused on seven silver linings that have personally emerged for her throughout this quarantine. People are ill, small businesses are drowning, and Karen isn’t allowed to hold any babies. (That last one is sarcasm. People are entitled to their complaints but when that lady said that, I snorted laughing.) I think the best thing that we can possibly do right now is try to stay positive! So, I really pondered my quarantine seven silver linings and wanted to share them with everyone.
1. Family Time
My absolute top favorite thing during this quarantine has been all of the bonding that we’ve done. We really picked up our board game usage and bought oodles of great ones. I feel like we’ve discovered all kinds of fun activities to do at home, actually. My husband also finally started the family Dungeons & Dragons game he’s been planning for over a year and that kids are loving it! It really helps with their creativity and imagination. I think everyone should learn to play!
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Our home movie theater nights were so memorable and I think the kids will talk about it for years to come. Everybody said we were the coolest parents ever and that means something when I feel like a few of them have reached that slam-the-door-when-they’re-mad age!
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2. DIY Home Projects
I know that this one isn’t just me because I’ve seen a bunch of you sharing all kinds of things you’ve finally finished around the house. Your new deck, remodeled living rooms, and even just reorganized closets are all looking very snazzy! They certainly inspire us! We got started on a chicken coop/pig pen but I’ll share more about that in a future post. All of this time at home seems to have been perfect for people getting to their “honey-do” lists! I’ve also been trying to do a lot of decorating in the new home which isn’t necessarily a home project but it sure upgrades the whole thing and is quite entertaining for me!
3. Thoughts and Motivation
There is a lot of time right now to think. I’m spending most of my time pondering my blessings, like my family and this new home we love, but I’m also thinking a lot about the future. My youngest may be starting school full-time in the fall and that means that the next chapter of my life will begin. Do I want to start angling toward a career set outside of the home? When the world opens back up, where would we like to travel? What does our bucket list look like? My mind is constantly spinning with new ideas for my life, for the blog, for activities.
4. New Adventures
We were already on a huge hiking kick but we’ve advanced to kayaking now (big thanks to our friend Kayaking Adventures of Tennessee!). While some outdoorsy people are frustrated that the state parks are so busy, I think it’s fantastic that people are putting themselves out there to do new things and get outside. Now seems like the perfect time to be in a new state so that we can explore everything it has to offer. The views here are outstanding and there are no words to describe how good it feels to hear nothing but flowing water, standing at the edge of a waterfall and smelling the crisp misty air!
5. Appreciation for Small Businesses
People are realizing how important small businesses are and just how hard they work to stay afloat. Unfortunately, several businesses in my area could not afford to withstand the closures and new guidelines, and were forced to close down. We have done our best to order out from restaurants we love, or buy gift cards, as many have suggested! Already we miss some of our favorite places that have been unable to re-open yet, like Cumberland County Playhouse.
6. Home-Cooked Meals
We always get bored of our routine meals at home but I feel like we’ve really been fed up with the monotony of the same meals lately. So what can you do? Start branching out and trying new things! We did do the meal delivery kits for a bit and that certainly encouraged us to be bold. My favorite new addition to our rotation is spicy shrimp tacos with a sriracha crema, thanks to my husband! I’ll have to share that recipe soon because it’s wonderful. I’ve also been helping the kids learn to make simple things, like peanut butter cookies and banana bites. Overall, things are really getting delicious in the Quirky household right now!
7. My Husband is Truly My Best Friend
All of my friendships moved to virtual anyway when I moved to New Jersey. Phone calls, text messages, and social media became my lifeline to my loved ones and I miss them all so dearly but it’s also forced the spotlight on my husband. If I need quality time or a hug, it’s all on him to be my rock and he often handles it well. We’ve spent so much time together cooking, kayaking, hiking, playing games, and creating mini dates for ourselves. I’ve said it before and I’ll never stop: Always date your spouse! The quarantine has kept me dating him on the regular, both in the house and outdoors, and it’s led to so much laughter and even new stories we’d never heard each other tell.
If you look hard enough, you can find the goodness in absolutely anything! I could list more than these seven positive outcomes from my perspective, but then I might just be writing forever.
Tell us about some of the positive outcomes for you! What personal good has come out of this quarantine?