by Gigi Macalintal
I never thought that I would be spending weeks turning to months again at home. You see I was quarantined at home for six months at the end of 2018 to early 2019 while undergoing treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This time it’s not the cancer that’s the culprit, but it’s COVID-19, which has affected my entire family.
Guiz, my husband, started working from home one week before I did. Our large dining table quickly became our workplace with Guiz occupying 2/3 of the space while I got the 1/3. Guiz’s job demands that he participate in constant phone conferences so I miss my quiet corner work space by the window. It was a struggle as we each set up our personal territories on our dining table, but we managed to make it work. Although I don’t consider this situation ideal, I thank God that both Guiz and I are healthy and able to provide for our family.
Grant and Maribel, our children, are now home from their respective universities. Their academic lives have been disrupted. Both are now finishing their semester via virtual classes and are scheduled to graduate on the same day, Sunday, May 17,
2020 (the date of this bulletin) with Grant getting his Bachelor’s Degree and Maribel getting her Master’s. Guiz and I were looking forward to seeing our children in their graduation regalia during their universities’ commencements, but all of that is gone now due to this pandemic. I’m saddened for my kids as they’re not able to celebrate their last semester with their peers and participate in the special events for graduating seniors. Although Guiz and I are disappointed, I thank God that our children are with us, safe and healthy.
With all four of us at home, along with the items that the kids have accumulated while in school, the house seems to have gotten crowded. It has become noisier with conversations and even laughter. Baking, cooking, watching movies, and playing games now occupy our spare time. We are eating together at dinner and praying the rosary as a whole family. We gather and worship as one family again while celebrating the OLM live stream Sunday Masses. Our house has become home once again. I attribute this to the everlasting grace of God, who is always watching over us – and for that, my family and I are forever grateful to the Almighty One.