Counting Our Blessings While Quarantined

We are told to stay home.

Events are canceled.

Jobs have become remote.

Church pews are empty.

Store shelves are bare.

Fear fills the minds of many.

How can there be any good that comes from being quarantined because of this virus? Finding a silver lining may seem difficult when you’re stressed about your family’s health, your job, whether or not you’ll be able to find toilet paper, and when exactly your life will ever be normal again.

Here are five blessings that I’ve found in the midst of this chaotic and uncertain time in our lives.

1. We get to spend quality time with our family.

While it may seem like our lives being put on hold is a bad thing, let’s look at the people around us and consider the quality time we are now getting with our loved ones. Being quarantined makes people who are usually super busy with their full schedules slow down and appreciate the time they get to spend with their family. Although it may be challenging at first, as with any change, if you stay positive about the extra time you get with your children, your spouse, and even your pets, this trying time can feel like a blessing.

2. We have time to get our to-do list done.

There’s never a good time for a pandemic. However, the fact that it’s nicer weather here in the South does make it a little more bearable to be stuck at home. The ever-growing to-do list can get done, and those tasks you have put off for months or years can now get tackled. It’s also time for spring cleaning! You’re now given extra time to do your seasonal chores. Paint a room. Organize your closet. Plant a garden. Clean out the garage. Staying busy will also help pass the time you’re homebound.

3. We are forced to be more conservative with what we have.

With toilet paper shortages, people stocking up on everything, and limiting the trips we make to the store, this is the perfect time to be more conservative with what you use at home. I don’t know about you, but this current situation makes me think twice about wasting food or using that extra paper towel to clean up a mess. I’m not suggesting you stop using what you need, but I would bet the amount of trash and waste produced by most people slightly decreases during this time because the thought of having less makes you more diligent with what you have.

4. We still have our basic needs met.

Although we are stuck in our homes, we still have access to what we absolutely need. We can still go to the grocery store for food, the gas station to buy gas, the pharmacy for medication, and the hospital for an illness. If you think of this quarantine on a basic level, you still have the essentials at your fingertips. I feel blessed to live in a country that has the benefit of using these places in the first place! (Just stay 6 feet away and wash your hands.)

5. We have the technology to stay connected to the rest of society.

One thing is for sure, we are not taking our technology for granted at this time! Without cell phones and the internet, we would not be able to communicate with our friends, family, and coworkers as effectively while we are quarantined. I know that I myself am a pretty social person, and having these means to communicate with others is keeping me from losing my mind while staying in solitude.

What are some of the blessings you have found while quarantined at home?