“What’s the gift…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

This week, I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen for a while.

Normally, the common thing to ask people as we’re living through a pandemic is something along the lines of:

 

"So, how’s quarantine treating you?"

"How are you holding up?"

"Are you getting sick of your family yet?!"

 

To which I usually rattle off how my husband and I have been getting on each other’s nerves, how hard it is to teach school virtually, and how stressful it is to plan a sports season that keeps getting moved.

 

But the first thing she asked me was:

"What gift has COVID brought for you?"

Immediately, the tone of the conversation was set.

We started talking about the good. About the things, we could find between the scarcity, fear, and uncertainty during this time.

 

The unexpected time I got with my family.

The time and space to consider what I actually love doing and what I’ve been grateful to have stripped away.

The time and space to continue to build a business with Kristina and narrow our focus.

 

The peace I’ve felt through slowing down.

I am grateful to still be employed and healthy during this time.

I am thankful that my family and friends have also stayed healthy.

I recognize my privilege in the fact that a pandemic has actually benefited me in some ways.

 

That simple question reframed so much for me, though.

A question that I’m going to challenge myself to ask in every situation that I find myself in.

Not to ignore the pain, the loss, and the emotions that come with difficult situations.

Not to just pretend like things are not hard.

But to recognize what those emotions and situations can teach me.

Unfulfilled expectations. Death. Injustice.

 

Sometimes the gift is hard to find. Sometimes it’s fleeting.

New opportunities. Renewed perspectives. Increased awareness and action.

I’m learning that to get good answers from myself and others, I have to ask good questions.

 

So, I will continue to seek, feel, and ask the questions that have produced the best answers in my life:

 

How do you feel?

And now...

What’s the gift?

I will use the answers to inspire my thoughts, feelings, and actions.

 

#MindfullyEvolving

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