The Things I Am Grateful For

2020 was a year. I think we can all agree on that. It really pushed us to our human limits. My 2020 was also pickled with personal loss, personal triumphs, and everything in between.

2021 started much the same way as 2020 ended but with some light trickling in from the end of the tunnel.

Things I am grateful for

Even though the past year has been anything but stellar, I am still grateful for a lot. I remind myself of all the good things because there are definitely some intense things happening on the periphery.

My dog, Affie

In 2020, I lost my two best friends within six months of each other. I lost half my pack. I now only have dogs, which is weird, because I’ve always had cats!

But, even though Marmalade and Sunsilk are gone, Affie is still here. She is almost 16 years old and has more energy than five young dogs put together. I am grateful she is still here and “healthy”.

Ability to do my job virtuality

A lot of people lost their jobs when the lockdowns started in 2020. I was one of those people.

Technically, I did not lose my job entirely but my current assignment was cut short and I didn’t start virtual enrichments for another six months. There was little enrollment which meant a lot of classes were canceled.

Unfortunately, that is still the case. My work is spotty, at best, but at least it is still there. I am grateful I can do my job virtually, as sparse as it may be, and can stay safe at home.

Freedom to leave me house and green spaces

I am grateful that, even through the pandemic, I still had the freedom to leave my house. In India, people were not even allowed to leave their homes at the beginning; cops stopped them. While I think the US should have had more restrictions, I am happy I was not confined to my house.

I am grateful that I live in a green city. It doesn’t have a super industrial feel. There are parks and woods and nature abound. Just a quick jaunt outside refreshed me, even if I couldn’t talk to people.

Freedom to leave me house and green spaces

I am grateful for communication. Sure, I couldn’t see people in person, but the pandemic caused companies to re-evaluate and improve Wi-Fi connections, which in turn, created better video conferencing options.

Because of that, we were able to talk with people all over the world who we may not have otherwise been able to see.

My health

I am grateful for my health and that my rheumatoid arthritis was generally stable. I didn’t need to see specialists, so I didn’t have to leave my house often for doctor’s appointments. And, in turn, I am grateful I did not contract COVID-19!

I am grateful I did not have to leave my house. I had the privilege of staying home and protecting myself against COVID.

The list continues. Yes, 2020 was hard but it really could have been so much worse. My life didn’t change very much which means that I had a good, comfortable life. That’s all I can ask for!

What are you grateful for amidst Godzilla decimating whole cities and watching them burn?? LMK in the comments!