Dear Coronavirus:: Thank You for the Reset

The Coronavirus has turned our lives upside down, but along with all the stress and uncertainty, it has also offered families a much needed reset.

Dear Coronavirus:: Thank You for the Reset

Dear Coronavirus, 

Let’s skip the pleasantries and get right down to business. You came into my life 100% uninvited and tipped everything upside down in a matter of days. Unlike natural disasters that I am accustomed to given that I live on the Gulf Coast, I have no idea when you are going to leave. I cannot count on you simply “blowing over” in a few days and allowing me the opportunity to lower my stress and worry factor.  You are fierce, chaotic, and show no mercy whatsoever.

Because of you, I am constantly worrying and strategizing my and my family’s next move in what are likely futile attempts to keep you at bay. Because of you, I wipe down every single item I bring in from the grocery store, hoping you die a tragic death at the hands of multiple Clorox wipes that might as well be the new currency that we deal in these days. Because of you, I tell my 5-year old little boy that he cannot burn off energy at our neighborhood park he loves down the street. Because of you, I spend countless hours glued to press conferences and “TV specials” to learn more about the devastation you are doling out in virtually every country on the planet. And finally, because of you I lose sleep at night worrying that your devastation is going to hit a point around the corner in my city and state that my husband will be activated with the National Guard and he will have to leave our family for God only knows how long. The information overload about you and stress related to being a full time mom, full time home-school teacher and full time employee typically overwhelms me every few days where I have to steal a moment alone in my closet to just let it out in the form of raw tears and emotion. THIS.IS.HARD.

So as you can see, there are a lot of things I will not thank you for at all. 

However, there IS one thing I will thank you for – thank you for the reset.

We went from a hustle and bustle life with three kids {16 years, 5 years & 11 months} where I worked full time and my husband traveled for work Monday through Thursday of every week plus one weekend a month for National Guard duty to complete and total social isolation with each other. My family of 5 has spent nearly the past month in complete social isolation. We have been taking social distancing to the extreme and we do not go anywhere. Period. Even though my husband and I are working more hours from home now than we ever did going into the office, we have been given the benefit of a once in a lifetime “reset.” A reset from terrible soul-sucking work commutes. A reset from overextending ourselves during the week with work commitments in the evenings. And a reset from waking up day in and day out, just putting one foot in front of the other to survive and completely missing all of the amazing moments that happen throughout the course of the day with our children.

Dear Coronavirus:: Thank You for the Reset

  • Thank you for the time my husband and I now have with our gorgeous children.
  • Thank you for the time I’ve had to see my 11 month old learn to pull up on his own and stand.
  • Thank you for the chance I’ve had to really discover how incredibly funny and imaginative my 5 year old is right now.
  • Thank you for the opportunity to sit in the audience as my husband and son put on a show in our driveway on a Friday night with nothing more than a box fan and a bubble wand.
  • Thank you for the opportunities my husband and I have had with our 16 year old daughter to talk about real world examples of service and sacrifice.
  • Thank you for providing my family with the opportunity to gather around our kitchen table multiple times every day to share meals together.
  • Thank you for providing my family with the opportunity to dine on my husband’s amazing cooking for the majority of our meals now.
  • Thank you for the time we’ve spent outside together as a family instead of cooped up in cars or in front of the TV.
  • Thank you for the opportunity to be silly with my family and dress up in Halloween costumes on a Saturday night in April just because.
  • Thank you for the opportunity to partake in a “honey flight/honey tasting” courtesy of my 5 year old son.
  • Thank you for the countless hours we now have on the weekends for art projects and puzzles.
  • Thank you for showing me how truly amazing people around the world can be during times of crisis…
  • …and most importantly, thank you for forcing me to reset, slow down, and focus on what is most important to me in life and to take stock of all that I have. 

Make no mistake – we are still not friends, nor will we ever be. I still want you out of my life as quickly as possible. But instead of focusing on all of the things I cannot do in my life for the foreseeable future because of you, I figured I would thank you for all the joys and wonderful experiences you’ve brought into my life. 

Sincerely,
A mom who really needed a reset, just not one quite this extreme or scary


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3 COMMENTS

  1. Nicely written Vicki!! Great perspective in this time of chaos and uncertainty….its a blessing to have our health and this reset on our priorities and just stepping off the “big hamster wheel” for a while and enjoying the “small merry go round” with the kids & family. Stay safe & all the best in the coming months.
    Cheers from NZ – Bevan & family (Morrison)

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