**Since the publication of this article, CDC and government recommendations regarding public gatherings and social distancing have changed. Please follow CDC guidelines for best practices to slow the spread of COVID-19.**
These are some crazy times we’re living in right now. There are opinions and news articles and memes around every corner of the internet. Conversations are monopolized by COVID-19 and you’re just feeling weary right now.
But despite what’s going on out there, there are still dinners to be cooked, bathrooms to be cleaned, kids to tuck in and life to be lived. It’s important for us to not hole up in our homes and hide, but rather to continue to find hope and purpose. You can do small things to impact your community and bring hope and peace to others.
Here’s where to start:
1. Take the focus off of self and be community-minded. At the start of the pandemic, crowds flocked to Costco with one objective – to protect and provide for their own family in case their worst fears materialized. But not everyone was able to run to Costco and grab several months’ supply of toilet paper and Clorox wipes. There are still those who struggle paycheck to paycheck to provide for the basic needs of their families. The fear is different for families who struggle here – will there be toilet paper at the store on payday? Will the school be able to supply food for this weekend? Will the food bank be open this week? Will I have enough work to pay the rent? Will we have enough customers to keep our business open?
The stricter the government and CDC get with telling everyone to stay home, the more people will get left behind. This is an opportunity to shift the focus off of ourselves and onto others in the community who are struggling more now with providing for their families.
What you can do:
- Grab a few extras on your next grocery trip and take them to your local food bank, school pantry, or Little Free Pantry. (Tip: That TP that everyone was stocking up on? They’re probably in need of that and other hygiene items as well, especially diapers and feminine hygiene products.)
- Check in on your neighbors and see if any of them need help. Do parents need help with childcare now that schools are closed in your area? Do you have an elderly neighbor who can’t leave the house and needs help picking up medications or running errands?
- Support local businesses that are struggling with low sales this month. Order take out from a local restaurant, get a pedicure, buy a book from a local book store to read during the time you’d normally be commuting while you work from home.
2. Trade in large gatherings for small ones. If you’ve been watching the news, you’ll know that Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington, put a ban on large gatherings of 250+ people in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties in attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19. While it can be disappointing to miss out on or postpone much anticipated events, use this time to lean into friendships and relationships that need one-on-one time or choose to fellowship in smaller groups. Spend time growing and deepening relationships and attending to relationships that have been put on the back burner.
What you can do:
- If your church has had to close due to the large group ban, find a small group to “go to church with” on Sunday morning by watching a sermon from someone’s living room and fellowshipping together. Maybe you already meet regularly with a community group at your church and can gather with them on Sunday morning, too. Church closures don’t have to mean a lack of joining together.
- Invite your neighbors over for dinner, a walk around the neighborhood, a play date, etc. Take advantage of school closures and neighbors working from home by getting out of your house and away from the computer for a while for some much needed human interaction.
- Go out to coffee with a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with.
- Sports game cancelled? Take the opportunity to have dinner with your whole family and plan a family movie or game night.
3. Find joy in the gifted moments. This morning I watched my kindergartner squeal with delight when she greeted our favorite Waste Management worker, Todd, as he came to collect our garbage. She looked forward to this every week during the summer and has so missed it since she started full day school. My girls are playing more together. We were able to meet my neighbor’s new puppy that she was able from a local shelter since she is having to work from home for the next three weeks. My cousin said she’s thankful for the opportunity to see what her kids are learning in school and be a part of it.
What you can do:
- Notice the little things. What gifts have you been given this week because you’re out of your normal routine?
- Slow down. How can you take a break and make the most of this out-of-the-ordinary time you have? When life gets to serious, I like to have tea parties with my girls. We get the fine china out, make a pot of tea, and set out a tray of treats.
How are you choosing to find hope and goodness right now?
I’m Hannah — a Seattle native and a mom to three spirited daughters. I love a good oat milk latte from Caffe Ladro, learning to skateboard with my 6-year-old, and exploring new parks with my best friend and partner, Matt. I’ve walked through hard seasons of divorce, single-parenting, and mental illness (in my kids and myself), but in the last couple years I’ve been redefining what it means for me to be a mom in my 30’s and how to find joy right here. (Hello, skateboard lessons and adult art class!) I didn’t expect much of anything about my life as it is now, but I’m learning to savor each moment. There is so much joy to be found here.
