This year, many of us spent Easter brunch with family via FaceTime. Instead of attending birthday parties, people in decorated cars honk and wave while and parading by the house of the birthday girl or boy. On my walks, I see Post-Its arranged in the shape of hearts decorating my neighbors windows. On Facebook we see pictures of happy hours taking place with neighbors, each on their respective driveway, shouting across the way to ring in the weekends. Shelter in place has become a commonly used phrase in the American language. Nearly every American has now been on a Zoom call and most for the first time ever within the last 2 months. Zoom church services, Zoom Tai Kwan Do classes, Zoom book club, Zoom Zoom quilting club and every activity in between. Rachel Ray produces her cooking show from home, in her own kitchen, while her husband records it. My nieces are gymnasts and for years have uniquely attend online school, now there is nothing unique about it…..ALL kids, including my college freshman, only attend school online. My mother in law, who is nearly 80 years old, has the House Party app downloaded on her iPhone and knows how to use it.

As we start this 1st day of May, our lives look much, much different than most of us ever dreamt they would when we began the new year in January. We have come a long way and although we still have a long way to go when it comes to fighting the pandemic, it’s a new month and a good time to reflect and look for what’s special.

I’m proud of us. I think the way we have come together not only as a country, but as human beings, is special. Really special. Worth noting and recognizing special. Every time I see someone wearing a cloth mask, it fills my heart. The number of people who are so generously using their free time to sew these masks is remarkable. Then, after spending hours and hours sitting in a room sewing them, they donate them, asking nothing in return. That’s generosity. That’s selflessness and it’s special.

From what I understand, the cloth masks don’t protect the person wearing them, but if that person happens to be an asymptomatic carrier, it will keep others around him/her from being exposed. I wear a mask too. They are extremely uncomfortable, hot and I feel like I can’t get my point across with half of my face covered……it’s not fun or anywhere near enjoyable. I even have a really cute, reversible, fancy mask, made for me by a friend and WW-er, but it’s still a pain to wear. That means everyone we encounter, everyone we see, wearing these masks is doing so for the health and safety of the strangers passing them on the street or bagging their groceries or making their burrito. They are doing it for us without even knowing us personally. That’s kindness. That’s compassion. That’s doing what you can to put other’s needs above your own. That’s special.

I hope as different states start to open up, it’s going to be a ” new normal”. I don’t think we will or even can go back to life exactly as we knew it before March 2020. And that’s OK in many ways. I actually think it’s better than Ok……wonderful things can come out of this. The sickness and loss of life is extremely tragic and deserves mourning. Absolutely and no doubt about it. To honor these losses in the best way possible, I hope we recognize all the different kinds of unexpected good also coming from this pause and take it with us into the future.

In many ways this tragedy has given kindness, caring and compassion the opportunity to shine through and so many are rising to the occasion and making that happen. Through us, Divine Love is shining through brightly everyday……everyday. It can be seen on the frontlines in the incredibly brave healthcare workers and hospital staff, the grocery and drug store employees, the project engineers, the electricians, the plumbers, the welders who are keeping construction going in our country despite the danger of contagion they are exposing themselves and their families to when they go home to each night. I feel so emotional, thankful, when I think of them or see them at work. We can recognize them and send them love. This is special. The InstaCart, UberEats, Door Dash and GrubHub deliverers, the Amazon, UPS, FedEx, USPS deliverers…every time we see these people drive by with their masks and gloves on keeping the rest of us fed, stocked with necessities and taken care of……that’s Divine Love personified and it’s special. We can recognize them and send them love.

I created this website and blog over 10 years ago to share my thoughts on wellness. Often that revolves around healthy eating choices, fun food finds and weight loss/maintenance tips and inspiration. As I sit here at my kitchen table, not having not seen my family (in person) for months, this post is what wellness means to me. It’s about searching for the GOOD and putting our focus on that, rather that on what we cannot change. It’s about sending love to our others through our thoughts and prayers. If being sad would change this world wide pandemic, it would be easy for me to volunteer to help turn it around! But it won’t. No amount of worry, anxiety, fear or sadness will change this but shifting our thought to seeing what’s good, what’s special in this unprecedented time WILL change something. It will lift our spirits and change our perspective, helping us to feel good. And just like in any other situation, when we feel good, we can do more for others. We radiate Love when we feel good. They say “Stay home and keep America safe.” In my opinion, it’s also our job to do everything we possibly can to let our light shine through with gratitude and love. When our hearts are full of gratitude, we can raise other’s spirits and help them know they are not alone. This is special.

All is well❤️

Terra☀️🌴

Terra Ayres,

Wellness Coach