I know what you’re thinking…how original. A post about COVID for the letter C. Sorry I couldn’t be more imaginative 🙂 I am sure you’re also wondering how there could be any kind of blessing associated with COVID. Well, that might be more tricky, and I also know that many people don’t see any blessings at all, as they have become sick themselves, or have known people who became sick, or have even died. In those situations, blessings may be hard to find. I know that. But I have been incredibly fortunate during the past year, and I feel it would be wrong to acknowledge how lucky I have been.

Here is what I want to say about COVID. I have tried to focus on the blessings I have received during this time. Do I know people who did indeed get sick with COVID? Yes. Some of them even got really sick. But none of them had to be hospitalized, and none of them died. Those are blessings.

My husband actually got sick with COVID, although I really have no clue how he did that, as he never really left the house. But he had almost no symptoms whatsoever, and we managed to keep me from getting it despite living in the same house. That’s a blessing.

My mom and dad, both of whom have health issues, did not get COVID. That’s a blessing.

During lockdown, my husband and I were both still able to work from home. We did not have any real disruption in how we live our lives outside of being at home and not going out anywhere. That’s a really big blessing.

My workplace, a school district, was able to open this school year for in person instruction. I honestly figured we would be closed again by Labor Day weekend, but here we are, in April, and still open. We have had cases of COVID, both staff and students, but it was never rampant. I call that a blessing — including for the students in my school district.

Finally, many of my friends and family, including myself, have been able to be vaccinated. That is an incredible blessing.

My sincere hope is that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to get it as soon as they possibly can. I want people to be able to do things they want to and need to do — travel to see dear friends and family, enjoy meals together, hug each other, know they’re safe.

COVID has been awful for so many people in so many ways. I am grateful that my experience has not been as tragic as others, and I wish I could do something to make it better for those who did have to face nightmare scenarios.