Silver Linings

Recently, I caught up with my friend Annie via Zoom.  Ever the glass-half-full kind of person, she said, “You know, as much as I dislike all this isolation and worry that I or a loved one will contract the virus, I know we are all gaining countless benefits from this time.”

Annie was right.  There are countless silver linings to be had – even during a pandemic!  Do you know what yours are?  Do this:  Right now, take out a piece of paper and a pen.  Join me in jotting down a few of the blessings you have realized as a result of this unprecedented time in our recent history. 

For me, I have gained the following:

  • Video Conferencing Expertise.  Whether Zoom, Webex, Google Meet or any other meeting platform, most of us have had to bone up on our video conferencing prowess.  Some of us have even acquired new toys like ring lights and noise-canceling headphones to bolster the quality of our calls.  Think of it as The Brady Bunch meets Hollywood Squares for the 21st century!

  • Wall Art.  For years now, my official office address has been my home address.  Truth told, however, I never actually worked from home!  I much preferred whichever coffee shop would have me on any given day of the week.  Well, coronavirus changed all that.  Needing to carve out a space for myself, I reclaimed the room that was called my “office,” but really was the repository for all of the stuff that my family and I had amassed.  Well, no more.  It is now actually my office and I have several items of wall art – things that I had collected from vacations here and there, cherished family photos, and creations that my son has gifted to me over the years – adorning my space.  I love it!  So nice to have a place to call mine and, for at least the foreseeable future, a place to productively continue to manage my business.  And, by the way, back to my video conferencing skills, all that wall art has become a subject of curiosity and discussion with colleagues during meetings. 

  • Mad Skills in the Kitchen.  Whilewe have always prioritized dining together, pre-COVID-19, it was not unheard of for my family and me to eat out five to six (well, maybe seven) nights of the week (please, don’t judge).  Actually, my son had asked that we try to cook at home a couple of times a week and we were giving it a real go; but, still, most nights we found ourselves haggling over which restaurant we would visit.  No more.  Now, we gather each Sunday to pour through cookbooks, food magazine and recipe websites to create our menu for the week.  We then put together a shopping list and head to the grocery store.  In any given week, not every dish is a keeper, but there have been more delicious dishes than lousy ones and we have become gourmet chefs (at least in our own minds).  So nice to be eating so healthfully and to feel a lot less intimidated in the kitchen – even after a long day.  Once all this quarantine madness is long gone, you should stop by for a meal!

So, what’s on your list?  Please take a moment to share.  I am certain we can all find those silver linings and recognize that, even during times of trouble, there is goodness to be had.

Happy Networking!

3 thoughts to “Silver Linings”

  1. One of my silver linings is enjoying additional time with my pets; however, I think I will need to take Casper to dog therapy if I ever go back to the office as he wants to be near us all the time.

    We have also enjoyed cooking including pulling out some of those awesome tools like my Instant Pot and learning new ways to use it. I have an increased affection for left overs as well now!

    New opportunities to engage with virtual communities connecting with people and experts from all over the world. I feel like I should have world map where I can insert a pin for each person I connect with around the world.

  2. I love that you’ve reclaimed your home office and that others can now enjoy your wall art. That’s one of my favorite things about this time — seeing my coworkers’ and colleagues’ art, bookshelves, children, and most especially cameos by their dogs and cats at the most inopportune times.

    I’m a “find the silver lining” person by default, which I’m especially grateful for right now. I’m thankful I live across the street from my like-a-sister friend of over 40 years, as she and her fellow have been my “covid crew”. Nearly every Saturday night since May we’ve gotten take-out and watched a movie together, often making a themed cocktail to go with the film. We have one left in the Marvel series, then we’ll take a break for games nights and holiday films before moving onto James Bond. Though we could have done this without a pandemic, chances are our schedules would often have been too full of other things to get together this often. So while I’m sad that my adult daughter who lives out of state won’t be home for Christmas this year, I’m thankful to have my dear friend and my mom here, and more time with them.

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