We are roughly three months into 2020 and so far we have seen the death of a sports star and now a worldwide pandemic.
Since the day of Kobe and Gianna’s death, everything has felt weird. I feel like I’m in a never ending episode of the Twilight Zone. It has been difficult for me in the past few weeks because I am worrying about everything from school to work to life and more.
But this pandemic has given me a lot of time to think. A lot of time to reflect. And this is what I’ve learned.
- Don’t take anything for granted.
It’s cliche, but it’s true. I found out over spring break that I would finish out the rest of my graduate program at USC online. At first I was excited. I wouldn’t have to wake up at four a.m. to get ready and drive to school. I wouldn’t have to sit in two hours of traffic to get home. But the more I thought about it, I was bummed.
I didn’t realize that Tuesday March 10 would be the last time I would set foot on campus and sit in class. I have been on the SC campus since July, and this is a school I dreamed of attending. Now, I don’t get to go back. I try not to have regrets, but I regret that I didn’t enjoy sitting in class more, even if it meant that I had to wake up early.
I even miss the drive to LA. It was a time to talk to my mom. It was a time for me to be in my own thoughts or listen to music. Now, I can’t.
During the school year, I work on weekends and rarely get to go out with friends. I have always been focused on saving money or making sure that I complete my assignments since I had been at work all day. Therefore, I was the person who never went out or never did anything with my classmates. Now, everything is closed and I can’t. I’m not saying I should have partied, but I should have taken at least one night to bond with my classmates or my friends.
At this point, I have no clue if my work will shut down. There are many times I go to work and I have to deal with customers and I dread it. But now more than ever I look forward to the day I can work. I look forward to greeting customers with a smile and trying to be positive for them in a time of such negativity.
I have learned to be thankful for the little things. School. Driving. Working. Eating out. Going out. Being more present.
2. There is good in the world.
In my lifetime, I have been hurt a lot and seen a lot of the negative things in the world. Sometimes the bad can be overwhelming. Even right now. I almost wrote a blog post about all the bad things that I have learned from this pandemic. But, I don’t want to be someone who adds to the negativity.
Since the outbreak became a pandemic, I have seen many people come together in a time of need. My professors at USC have been more understanding and empathetic than I could have ever imagined. Each professor has given us a time to talk about how we are dealing with everything. They have made sure to accommodate each of our needs. I know it’s not surprising to most, but it surprised me. It was such a relief to know that my professors are on my side and are here to help.
I have also heard stories of people helping elderly or at-risk populations get groceries or supplies. My brother is a firefighter and puts his life on the line everyday for us. Grocery stores have offered to help him get groceries if he can’t find anything for his fire station.
I work in fast food and someone even thanked me for working. I don’t think I am a hero by any means, but I appreciate that they appreciate me. I am still going to work and putting myself at risk for the virus. It’s little and insignificant but it means a lot to me. It’s nice to know people care because many times people think that fast food workers have no skills.
People have also been more appreciative of janitors, grocery store workers, truck drivers, delivery drivers and restaurant workers. I have always believed that everyone is equal and no matter what job you work in that you are vital. Everyone has realized that our country and our world would not survive without these people doing these jobs.
On social media, people have also been trying to spread positivity. Whether it’s inspiring messages, or tips on how to stay busy in quarantine it is such a relief to see.
3. We (I) need to rely on God more.
Some people may not like this or want to hear it. But I believe that God has allowed this pandemic to happen because He wants our world to come back to Him.
I believe that He is wanting everyone, including myself, to put our faith in Him. Instead of just hoping this will go away we should be turning to God. Turning to Him to ease our anxiety, our worries and give us hope for the future. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.“
Yes, we should still listen to medical experts, but for hope and stress-relief we need to turn to God.
I am not an expert by any means, so for more information on this topic, here is a link to Pastor Greg Laurie’s message about God and the Coronavirus: https://harvest.org/resources/gregs-blog/post/god-is-bigger-than-the-coronavirus/
I hope that we all take the time to look for the positive things right now. Take this time to learn something about yourself or life. I believe this pandemic is a learning experience. I need to learn to appreciate everything, I need to realize that there is good in the world and I need to put my faith more in God.
What will you do differently after this pandemic is over?
Alyssa Freyder 