Feelings of grace during the pandemic

[Alolan_Apples]

It is already October, and the pandemic hasn’t ended yet. As you know, it not only ruined many events scheduled for the year (public and personal), but it also took a huge toll on society and the economy. Even when we do go back to normal, the world is not going to be the same anymore. However, not all is bad. In this thread, you may discuss your feelings of grace and gratitude that you got during the pandemic.

Here’s what I’m grateful for:

• My birthday is early enough in the year to where I could not only go out to eat on my birthday, but also go to Medieval Times on the week before my birthday. The lockdown started in March. My birthday is in mid-February.
• I was able to move to a smaller house this year. We were expected to move out by June (long story in case if you’re wondering), and we got to move in the month of May when our state started opening up.
• The COVID-19 pandemic did not delay or cancel ACNH’s release to stores. I don’t think I could wait any longer by then.
• I was able to do a lot of fun things (which involves going out of town) and walking to McDonald’s within two and a half months, before it all happened. I even got an Oddish plush.
• I live in a smaller town and never really gone to big cities within the last six months.
• I was able to go to restaurants during the summer.
• I don’t live in a state with stricter lockdown orders.
• Last, and definitely not least, I have not contracted COVID-19 at all, even after going out in public a lot during the pandemic.

What are you grateful for about the year 2020 and the COVID pandemic?

 

[Mariah]

I love wearing a mask. I have a cold nose so I finally have something to keep it warm this winter.

 

[Midoriya]

I’ll be the one to say it, but the pandemic hasn’t really made me grateful for anything other than the memories and people I’ve been able to talk to in the past. I realize more now what it’s like to go without talking to others for awhile and what it’s like to not be able to go everywhere you want for awhile. Other than that a lot of good and bad has happened this year for me personally, so I’ll leave it at that.

 

[UglyMonsterFace]

I personally can't take away anything positive from it to be honest... my job was greatly affected and still is.. I'm barely earning my usual wages due to this. And then getting evicted during COVID also hasn't been great.. I guess a positive would be that when I lost my job, it kinda forced me to take a "vacation" from work. I never ever took time off work and it was taking a toll on me. I guess it was nice to be forced to not work for a while.. but I would have rather worked tbh

 

[Lady Black]

I am grateful I was able to get married and find an apartment (both in August) despite there being many restrictions and set-backs. I have been working the entire time as well. I can visit my immediate family any time since they live less than 10 minutes away, which means I can see my big black sausage of a dog as well

 

[Bcat]

Honestly, the pandemic has reminded me to be grateful for the small things in life. Things I always took for granted before.

I was watching Sailor Moon clips on YouTube the other day, and I literally broke down in tears. Just seeing a group of friends hanging out and shopping without a mask in sight made me emotional. If anything, this pandemic has taught me to always be thankful for the little pleasures in life, because you never know what will happen tomorrow.

I’m content with this newfound gratitude practice and the peace it’s brought me.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

I'm grateful that despite being on a college campus with 1600 people I havent tested positive for the virus. I just had a test done a few days ago and it came back negative. I'm not too worried avout contracting it, but I do worry abouy long term health effects since nobody knows yet how COVID-19 impacts peoples health in the long run. I also don't want to give it to my mom because she gets sick really easily and if she got it it could probably kill her. I've been very diligent about wearing a mask anywhere I go and making sure everything is sanitized.

I'm also grateful that this pandemic has taught (or at least is beginning to teach) people to be more mindful of others. I know that there are still idiots out there who think they don't need to wear a mask but I have a lot of respect for those who do wear one and keep their hands washed and sanitize everything they touch. dealing with this pandemic really is a pain but I'm grateful for those who are taking it seriously.

 

[DinosaurDumpster]

Super happy that school didn't shut down for the rest of the year. We went back a bit over a month since the school year started in my area, and I hadn't realized how much I actually like going to school in person.
Not much has changed for me with this whole crazy time right now which is good, since I generally stay inside the whole day anyways, with the exception of sometimes going to hang out with my friends and school. Thankful that I still get to see friends as well.

 

[deana]

Pandemic has given me a lot of food for thought about where I want to live and the people I want to associate with. Seeing how my local government has reacted vs other places responses is eye opening. And seeing who I know is taking it seriously and who isn't.

Living in the middle of this isn't so fun but I think I will look back and be grateful for the perspective in getting to see everyone's true colours.

 

[LadyDestani]

I'm grateful that my job was not affected as my company was prepared to transition us to working from home almost seamlessly. I'm also grateful that I have not gotten sick and no one I care about has contracted the virus yet and I hope that remains the same.

I guess it's a good thing that I'm such an introvert because staying home and not having close contact with a lot of people hasn't really affected my mental health negatively. I'm sure it will be very difficult when I do have to eventually re-enter society, though, since now I've had a taste of what it's like to live without the constant stress and pressure of social anxiety.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

Grateful for ACNH
Grateful I got to see my mom in person the month before COVID hit
Somewhat grateful that lockdown is no biggie for me as I am super introverted
Grateful that I no longer live in the USA, I'd probably have gotten COVID by now (can't help but touch my face all the time)

 

[ForgottenT]

Nothing have changed really, other than me, and my coworkers now have been split in two groups for lunch.

 

[Dim]

Always felt bad about not going to college yet but I'm a bit glad I'm not in school during these times. It seems like a hassle. Also grateful I haven't been laid off of my job like everyone else... as a matter of fact I got extra pay + work hours so I made quite a lot of money and feel like I've really helped out in a way.

 

[Alienfish]

That people will probably consider their hygiene routine more carefully. Like I couldn't believe my brain when I read that people (with access) never washed their hands after a toilet visit and/or when they've been outside even before corona. That's like, basic stuff I got taught as a kid and I'd never dream of not washing my hands unless I was, like out somewhere with no water access.

 

[N a t]

At first when this happened, my workplace was very stressful and the amount of business we received started to decline due to the lock down as well as everyone's very reasonable fear of Covid, but once things opened up enough where people were allowed to leave home, our business boomed. In fact, we are so busy on a constant basis now that I've had several breakdowns because we have hundreds of new clients and some of them even verbally abuse us for doing our jobs or following the law and I've suffered at work more now than I ever did before. But my coworkers try to protect me and help me when I can, and my boss is very kind and rewards us all for sticking through all of the bad times to help each other out and keep our business open. I never realized how great of a job I had because of the people I work with. Now I'm making much more money than I used to and I have great work friends and get lots of yummy food as thanks for my work too! Even though many of our clients are very cruel people, those small interactions don't compare to the many positive ones that I get with my coworkers.

 

[Xara]

i’m grateful for not having to physically attend school. this pandemic has been awful and neverending but school has always been horrid for me; it exhausts me to my very core while also making me extremely anxious on a regular basis. the transition to online learning + being able to deal with my mental and physical problems in the comfort of my own home has done wonders for me.

and plus, it gave me loads of time for new horizons

 

[Neb]

I’m mainly grateful that my parents and grandparents didn’t pick up the virus despite being at vulnerable ages. Losing any of them at this time would’ve been excruciating.

It’s also given me appreciate what I have. I have a roof over my head, a caring family, and wonderful friends. With all of that at stake, I’m reminded of how much those people mean to me.

 

[Manah]

I'll be grateful IF we keep the accomodations people already needed long before the pandemic.

 

[mayortiffany]

The biggest thing I am grateful about is that I was able to make it home.

For context, I was studying abroad in France when the pandemic hit. We literally got an email from administration on a Thursday that school would be shutting down for the foreseeable future from the following Monday onwards. There were rumours spreading that the French government would institute a full lockdown of the country, and that it would be very difficult to travel from one city to the next and to be able to take a flight out. Some of my friends got the announcement on Thursday and booked a flight for the Friday morning. Their governments told them that if they did not leave quickly, they may not be admitted back into the country or forced into a quarantine camp (rather than completing quarantine at your home).

And what do you know - the rumour was right! Literally, I packed up my apartment and life in France in three suitcases, three boxes, and in four days. I raced to the airport to a friend of mine, where we were able to find a room for two nights in preparation of our flights. We were on one of the last busses that goes directly from our town directly for the airport. If we had left any later, we'd have either had to make multiple connections by train or to hire a private car to make it seeing as we'd have been affected by transport regulations during the lockdown.

I'm grateful that Canada was allowing its citizens to return home, that I was able to get a seat on a flight coming home, and that my ticket home was not exorbitantly expensive. I had actually already booked an alterable ticket home for the end of semester, and since I changed my ticket before the lockdown was announced and before the Canadian government told its citizens to go home, the cost for me to go home was rather minimal. It was only the cost of the hotel room, food, a fee for booking my seats, and a fee for luggage. Otherwise, I might have had to pay $2,000 CAD for a one way ticket home! I'm not kidding, I saw business class tickets for upwards of $5,000 CAD - and people might have bought them because they were some of the only seats left on flights.

It is an experience I will never forget, and makes me a lot more grateful to be living in a place of relative peace where I am in a privileged position to be able to just fly home like that. It's nothing near what refugees are experiencing when they have to flee their homes as a result of warfare, for example.

 

[DJStarstryker]

I love wearing a mask. I have a cold nose so I finally have something to keep it warm this winter.

You now make me wish there was such thing as mini finger mittens. My fingertips up to my first knuckle get cold a lot. I need 10 little fingertip gloves. lol