Gratitude Journal 2020 #7
Three weeks ago, when I last posted a gratitude journal, Washington state had just declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19. That has been the start of some crazy weeks in my world, and I have not taken the time to sit down and post here. But the truth is, I think it is even more important in the midst of all of this to be grateful. I will also admit that a lot of what I am grateful for right now is in the way my employer and I am able to respond to the issue.
More than anything I am grateful for the (as of right now) health and safety of myself, my family and friends. And I am grateful that I live somewhere that is taking this all seriously.
Gratitude Item #19 – Stable job
I work for the state but at a University. We stopped in-person classes for the last couple of weeks of winter quarter and all of the spring quarter. But we still have to pay for everyone. We still have to make sure everyone is in the system and hired appropriately. So, I have a job. But so many people around me do not have jobs right now, from the wait staff to small business owners. And that is scary. So I am very grateful that I still have a job to do. (Also, in addition to the stress of not having a paycheck, my mental health would suffer greatly from not having a job to do.)
Gratitude Item #20 – Working from home
To go along with the previous item, I am grateful that my job is one that can be done remotely. I actually like going into the office and the relationships with my co-workers that fosters. But in times like these, it is really nice to have the ability to work from home. I get to be productive and safe.
Gratitude Item #21 – Home office
I have a dedicated space in my house to work from home. It is technically a bedroom, but a tiny one, so we never even thought of using it as a bedroom. It has been our home office from the start (though it needs to be better organized). It helps with my routine and feeling like I am at work. It helps me concentrate, and allows me to shut out distractions so that I feel like I am “at work” vs “at home”. And that is something that makes a big difference for me.
Gratitude Item #22 – Nature goes on
Last year at this time, I was grateful for the cherry blossoms. And this year, I am also grateful for the cherry blossoms, but for a slightly different reason. In the midst of the crazy, it is comforting to me to see that nature keeps to its schedule, that nature moves in the same patterns, even as our patterns and routines are being disrupted.
Gratitude Item #23 – Unexpected encounters
I was still going into the office until the middle of last week. But even in a very quiet office, I needed breaks, breaks from the stress around me. So, I walked through the cherry blossoms. While there, I ran across an elf with a violin getting her picture taken. It was something that made me happy for the rest of the day.
Gratitude Item #24 – Video calls/conferencing
I have been grateful for this before on a personal front, for talking to Pop Tart and friends around the world. And now, I am grateful for it on a work front. It is a great way to have a quick conversation with coworkers instead of an email or text. And getting to see their faces makes a difference. Plus, it’s a fun little look into everyone’s personal lives, as you get a peek at their homes.
