Realizing how grateful I am that I have a home. I love my home–it’s filled with love. I stay grateful every day for the little things like my home and health. Technology, to see my family and friends. It’s hard, I’m a touching, loving person, so it’s hard when I can’t do that.
What was most important to you before you had to social distance?
I write a gratitude list every day. Pretty much the same things; my health, my family, my jobs, my friends, my dogs. I go to a twelve step program and I go to church. I’m always looking to fill myself up spiritually. Being in that fellowship and in that community fills me up so much. Now that I’m not in it and I’m trying to do it through Zoom, it’s hard to connect all alone at home watching it on a computer screen.
What’s the first thing you’ll do when this is over?
Probably go to Nordstrom! A lot of things happened there. It’s the first place I took my kids out of the house when they were born. One of my best friends works there. It smells good, it’s pretty.
The one thing I know I’ll love to do is to go and see my 89 year old grandma. I visit her every week, but I have to see her from the window. It’s hard not touching her, we’re really close. And my daughter and my son.
What are you doing to pass the time?
I read a lot. I normally never play games, but I’ve been playing a lot of word games. We love to binge watch good crazy shows. Cooking more–I used to get a lot of home cooked meals delivered–my husband and I have been cooking together, and I’ve really enjoyed that.
What makes you happy right now?
I definitely am happy that I’m quarantined with my husband. He’s my best friend. I love to have my AA meetings online. I like to go out front and see the birthday parades pass by. I love to see the good stories on Facebook and social media of people that have come together and made us feel like we’re all one again.
What would you tell yourself two months ago with the knowledge you have today?
You don’t need anything else from Nordstrom! I have everything I need material-wise. Oprah taught me a long time ago that if you are happy with what you have and you don’t want anything else, that’s true happiness. I thought I’d really been living like that–I still need things but they just don’t do it for very long. The inner happiness I’ve found during this quarantine is the small conversations with the neighbors next door, playing games and puzzles with my husband. I feel that I have everything that I need. Sometimes what happens is I’m just not quiet and still long enough. I have to sit and think of everything I have. It’s hard to balance it all, but I’ve been able to find that quiet peaceful spot that I realize is what’s important and fills me up. That keeps me going. All the other stuff helps, but I don’t realize and I’m not grateful enough until I’m really quiet and can look within and remember those things each day. I have everything I need.
