by Annjo Balbutin
How often do we get to hit a RESET button in life? If we’re lucky, maybe once, but mostly never. But that is exactly what we got with this whole “coronacation” (as my six year old son Jack calls it). It is the ultimate RESET of our generation. Before quarantine, we might have been “staying at home and chilling” or “working too hard” or “hanging out.” These things that we once took for granted and just performed out of habit and routine are now precious aspirations. To “reset” is to set again, differently this time. Yes, this is scary.
The stress of shielding your household from the virus, especially the vulnerable members, is a daunting task. The news of family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances getting infected, intubated or passing away is heartwrenching. Yet you find ways to cope. You binge on Netflix. You read. You attend three virtual Masses a day including one in Latin! You organize Zoom prayer meetings (with passwords that people will remember). You bake pandesal; plain, ube and pandan.
You clean your garage or plant veggies you have no intention of eating. And most of all, you think. You think while staring at the TV blasting Covid-19 news with colorful graphs. You think about how you will do things differently when all of this is over; how you will spend your time wisely from now on; about how you will never ever take your family, your job, your parish, your neighbors, your grocer, your mailman, your physical therapist, your bank teller, your planet, for granted, ever again. You realize everyone and everything (even tissue paper) is essential. You are essential!
And if you think really deeply of all the lives lost, economies depressed, and dreams shattered because of THIS, it’s easy to sulk and fear. But don’t. Think of it as another chance to live more, love deeper, forgive more readily, dream fuller, hope unlimitedly and have an unwavering faith that God will never give us a trial we cannot surmount. So hit that RESET with excitement and enthusiasm my friend!