Silver Linings of the Pandemic

This post contains affiliate links.  One of the bloggers I read regularly wrote a post about silver linings of pandemic life, which made me really reflect on that myself.  Of course, there are many negatives to the pandemic, namely, the suffering and death that has occurred.  I lost a relative to the virus and had several others battle serious cases, which I’d much rather have never happened.  However, we don’t have much control over that.  The virus is here.  But, as with everything, there is always a silver lining.  I thought today I’d share my silver linings of pandemic life.

Completing Therapies

Before the pandemic, we were extremely busy.  One my children was in therapy for speech, dyslexia tutoring, and ABA therapy.  That amounted to 23 hours of therapy a week.  All three of the therapies were moved online last April.  This child has graduated from speech therapy during the pandemic.  In addition, the child will graduate from dyslexia tutoring no later than this April.  We put ABA therapy on hold in January because we had exhausted the tasks that could be done over Zoom.  When the child does return to in-person ABA, it will likely be only for 16 hours a week, meaning our weekly running around will be significantly less than it was before the pandemic.

Joining a Book Club

I’ve been looking for a book club for a long while.  One of my online acquaintances is a librarian who is hosting a virtual book club in Illinois, so I was able to join virtually!  I really enjoy it and will be sad when it goes back to in-person, and I will no longer be able to attend.

Time to Do Home Improvement Projects

When we bought this house 6.5 years ago, we knew we needed to do some home improvement projects.  However, the first three years we were in the house, we didn’t have the money to do them.  The next three years, we didn’t have the time.  When the pandemic hit, it was too hot in AZ to do any painting, but this winter, we completed A LOT of projects:

Painting the Bathroom Cabinets

Painting the Kitchen Cabinets

Painting Cuddle Bug’s Bedroom

Painting PB & J Girl’s Ceiling

Painting Our Living Room

We never could have accomplished all of this if we were not forced to stay home much of the past year.

Respite for My Ancient Vehicle

My vehicle, our 2004 Toyota Sienna, had 224,000 miles on it when the pandemic hit.  Before the pandemic, I was easily driving 300 to 400 miles a week.  In the year since the pandemic began, I’ve only put 2,000 miles on my car.  With any luck, it will last another year, and then it will be Bookworm’s first car.  (He vacillates between being glad to have a car and embarrassed that he’s a teen boy who will be driving a mini van.)

My Husband Working from Home

My husband is lucky in that he was able to work from home this whole time.  He’s been able to cut out his 30 to 45 minute one way commute, giving him more time to get more work done.  We’ve also enjoyed having him at home, and he’s enjoyed staying in comfortable clothes all day long.  He hopes that he’ll continue to be able to work from home so that we will have more flexibility when we can eventually travel again.

Less Sickness

One of our children who attends ABA was so sick the winter before the pandemic.  Literally, this child was sick every other week.  I wish I was exagerating, but I’m not.  Now that said child hasn’t been at the ABA clinic for a year, the child has had no sickness this year.  In fact, we’ve all been really healthy.

Of course, I’d love a world without the pandemic, but since that isn’t possible, I’m happy to look at the silver linings of the last year.

What silver linings of the pandemic life have you discovered?