The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded me of a Haruki Murakami quote: “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
We are far enough along in the pandemic to zoom out and take a broader look instead of rehashing statistics of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. I encourage you to choose to focus on what you have learned about yourself and life because of the pandemic. What lessons have you learned these past two years? Here are some questions you can discuss at the dinner table with your children to heighten your personal awareness.
How have you grown? What have you learned about overcoming adversity? How did you deal with losses? What have you learned about your level of resilience? What habits or activities did you do that helped your mood and your ability to cope? What did you learn about creating your own structure for schoolwork and learning? How did you keep your relationships strong despite social distancing?
Like it or not, the pandemic forced us to become more flexible and let go of things we had no control over. People who adjusted well to all of the changes focused on what they did have control over. That included their moods, feelings, reactions, outlook and where and how they spent their time and energy.
The lessons your kids learned from their COVID experience are transferable to other challenges, obstacles and adversities they will face during their future life. But that will be dependent on whether they take the time to actively reflect on their experiences and learn from them. Encourage your children to spend time reflecting on these questions. Journaling their answers will help them internalize the lessons more deeply. This process of reflection is a great way to change the focus from loss and negatives to gratitude and growth.
I’ll leave you with two insightful quotes to solidify my message:
“When we are in the eye of the storm and can’t find our way out, it is easy to lose hope and think the storm will last forever. But one day the sun will shine on you again, and the clouds will clear, and you will look around and realize you have been blown to an even better place. Sometimes, in the storm, there is a miracle waiting to be seen.”
—Dani
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
—Dr. Seuss
