Was it really 5 years ago when the world stopped? We learned so much during our time of isolation. Unfortunately, I think we’ve already forgotten many of those lessons.

We learned to make peace with peace. Empty streets and the emptying of public spaces made the whole world quieter. We learned to be ok with being still.

In turn, nature flourished. As people receded into the background, animals reclaimed some of their natural spaces. Birds began singing new songs. Even Earth’s upper crust moved less as everything paused in the pandemic.

We learned to do more with less. Because we could not find everything we wanted when we wanted it at the grocery store, we made do with what was at hand. My favorite creation was bread pudding made from stale orange cake. It was delicious. A neighbor made pesto from carrot tops and declared it tasty. Many people learned to make sourdough bread and shared their starters with one another.

We learned to share. If we had more than we needed, we often shared with our neighbors.

We stepped out of our usual roles to fill our needs. A small neighborhood restaurant forced to stop serving meals responded by turning its dining space into a little market. They sold pasta, milk, cheese, crackers, and a small selection of fresh produce. Because they already had a meat counter, they also provided fresh meat. People could go in, two at a time, and shop without fear of getting sick.

In anticipation of writing about COVID’s 5-year-anniversary (ok, so it has already passed.), I looked back on what I wrote during the pandemic. I laughed at my first post in March:

“As we contemplate what a pandemic means to our lives and how we may be cooped up for weeks, it is a relief to breathe deep the fresh air and wiggle our toes in the grass.  Spring and summer will come — no matter what else is going on.”

Cooped up for weeks? Ha! We were so unaware of the breadth and depth of the pandemic and how much it would change lives and communities.

But it wasn’t all grim. We became more creative and with that creativity, new community connections were crafted. One that still makes me smile is the Great Bear Hunt.

“It began as someone else’s idea posted on a Facebook page called Project Quarantine 2020. This is a page dedicated to fostering joy and community connection during this season of shelter in place.

“The post was called “Start a Bear Hunt” fashioned after the book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.

“As of now, bears abound on at least 21 streets in my neighborhood. I suspect the number will grow. The idea is to put Teddy bears in windows or on porches so children can search for bears while walking with their families. I suggested my neighborhood — a charming district called Niles — give it a try, and the idea took off. Everyone seems excited about it, asking questions, and sharing locations. 

“Even though I don’t have any littles with whom to enjoy bear hunts, the idea and the enthusiasm with which people have embraced the project has warmed my heart. As they become untethered from the demands of daily life, people are looking for ways to feel connected, productive, and helpful.  

“With the help of social media, people are sharing where to find toilet paper (I still don’t understand this hoarding obsession) and bananas, yeast, and bread. People are sharing recipes and book titles. And there is a fair share of silliness to go around.”

Cabin fever pushed us outdoors and into the garden. I experimented with growing potatoes.

“Who knew that growing potatoes in flower pots could be so satisfying? This is something that I discovered during my pandemic gardening adventures. 

“It was such an odd summer. Now summer is ending, but not the odd. Many of us have tried things we would never attempt in the Before Times – pandemic projects like baking sourdough bread, sewing masks, and painting. Home improvement stores have experienced a surge in sales as people search for ways to transform living spaces into something homier or more functional.

“Some projects were born from scarcity. Too bad you can’t grow Clorox wipes or paper towels! Others were an attempt at preserving sanity during tedious days of sheltering in place.

“Digging in soil is a peaceful pursuit. You can’t worry about the state of the world when you are pulling luscious little orbs from the earth like a gardening magician.

“I typically find peace in my garden. It is a place to quiet my mind and focus on things for which I am thankful. Gratitude is a surefire path to peace.

“Gardening can produce peace. Now I know potatoes can, too. “

As mentioned before, we got reacquainted with the blessing of being still. I wrote Silent Night in December 2020.

“One of the benefits of 2020, the year of the pandemic, is that our world is more tranquil. Traffic levels are diminished because people are out of work or working from home. Urged to shelter in place, people are choosing quieter activities. The hustle and bustle of even the holiday season has slowed. In a way, our lives have been acapella for these many months.

“You might not have noticed. But the sparrows have. Because it is quieter on Earth, sparrows in Northern California are rendering a softer version of their usual melody. Ornithologists found that the birds are singing in a lower register, allowing them to sing a more varied melody. “When they sing softer, they can sing a wider range of notes, a sweeter song you might say,” Jennifer Phillips, a researcher at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, told the SF. Chronicle.”

Alas, we turned the calendar to a new year and still were confronted with a pandemic and all kinds of social unrest. It makes me think that we didn’t come very far in five years. We aren’t dying in droves from a pandemic, but chaos and insecurity of all sorts abounds. So I’ll end here with excerpts from my January 2021 post called Simply Grateful.

“A conversation with a group of friends this week illustrated to me the ways we attempt to control what’s going on in and around us. With the chaos and insecurity of our national circumstances – COVID-19 overwhelming hospitals, an angry mob storming the Capitol, each of us entrenched in her own point of view — it is no wonder we feel the need for control…

“So how do we simplify simply?

“Let me suggest something you might not expect: Gratitude. Gratitude shifts your attention to the things in your day, and in your life that are most important. A picnic at the beach was what I was most grateful for this past week. After days and days of staying safely at home, we needed a new view and some fresh air. 

“It was a lovely day on the coast. The sound of waves on the sand, the soft breeze, and the conversation were more valuable than anything I owned or had on my calendar. Love, joy,  relationships. These are gifts that God gives generously, but we don’t always slow down long enough to appreciate them, let alone thank him. 

“An additional benefit of gratitude is peace. We achieve it by fixing our attention on God, ‘choosing thankful prayer over wallowing in anxiety and worry,’ says author Priscilla Shirer.

And isn’t peace what we are looking for when we seek a simple life? 

So, let’s grab hold of gratitude instead of grasping for control.

Happy New Year!”