“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of Life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” — Melody Beattie

As of today, we are close to two months into self-isolation, hoping and praying that this pandemic will be as short-lived as possible. During this time, millions of Americans have remained at their place of residence, adhering to federal and state guidelines on social distancing, leaving only for food, groceries, gasoline, and medical needs. Recent unemployment stands, as of today, over 30 million, with the number rising exponentially.

Some of our freedoms have been temporarily halted. In this time of uncertainty, most people have come to realize how much things were taken for granted. We are learning how precious our freedoms are, and are beginning to recalibrate, reassess, and prioritize what is really important in life.

Since we are cloistered in our homes–many with family members navigating through this crisis–it may be time to broom out some of the negative emotions and begin to assess the positive. One possible avenue to take is a meaningful reflection on some things for which we should be grateful, and truly act and embrace them. Take me, for example. Previously, I would always be on the go (Have Buick, will travel.), but since we have been restricted, I have had to curtail my traveling. I then refocused my energy into walking around my neighborhood. What an unexpected joy it has been to re-engage with neighbor friends and meet new ones as well. Keeping social distancing guidelines in mind, we have been able to converse and exchange information on our families. I have even dusted off some of my unbuilt plastic model kits, and distributed them to some of the neighborhood’s older children. I cannot over-emphasize my jubilation and gratitude for having the opportunity to do this.

In this time of adversity, we should pause and reflect on what we are grateful for. Several examples of possible areas of gratitude include —

— The right to worship and pray as we so choose, if we choose;

— For opportunities to help our fellow man, using social distancing;

— For endearing friendships;

— For the non-monetary little things in life.

As we peel back the layers of life that we have woven around us and have exposed the basic essentials of our humanity, let us commit to embracing and being grateful for them. I pray for all that have been affected/afflicted, directly/indirectly, with the COVID-19 virus. God bless all of you!

Daniel J. Paul is a retired school administrator. His articles focus on education, old-fashioned family values, relationships, and other topics. Go to his website at meaningfuldifferences.net.