Who would have thought a year would go by and we would still be in a pandemic. Who would have thought we would be celebrating special occasions for the second time at home. I wish I knew back then that it wasn’t going to last only a couple of weeks. I wish I knew that I was in for a year like no other.
I wish I had been stocked up on supplies like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, hand sanitizer, masks, groceries, etc…
I would advise my former self that I am stronger than I think and that I can get through just about anything.
I would tell myself to be still sometimes, practice patience and learn to enjoy my own company because that’s all you’re going to have for a while.
I would go back and remind myself that the things that are important in life are the air we breathe, family and friends.
I would tell myself that we should hold on to what we’ve learned in the past year as we go into the future. Remember. all. the. little. things. you learned during this difficult stretch.
I would tell myself that a career does not replace family health. Don’t be afraid to follow your heart and step back from work to protect the ones you love. Professional goals can come later- or not. I would tell my former self that this year was going to take unexpected turns and it would change the path of my life forever. I never saw myself approaching semi-retirement until the pandemic hit and there I was.
I would tell my former self not to be approaching menopause with teenagers in the house and compromised parents who will worry you 24/7 until they get vaccinated. The sandwich generation is not an easy place to be, but I managed.
I would have forewarned myself that I had no idea what twists and turns were yet. You will be tested but you will come out the other side.
I would tell myself that you aren’t in control and there is a bigger plan out there for you. You need to trust in that.
I would give myself a heads up that even though the year ahead would change life entirely, who I am is still in tact.
I wish I knew what my grandparents had really been through during the war and during the Great Depression. But I understand now why they wanted to forget about it and didn’t really talk about it. I also understand why they were so frugal.
I would tell myself that HOME is the safest place to be… until this all gets better.
March 15th, 2021. Ontario, Canada- red zone