Lessons from the Storm: Gratitude, Resilience and Hope 

Last month marked the 5-Year Anniversary of the 2020 lockdown

It was a hard year for all of us. In my case it came with family hardships—my mother’s illness, my eldest daughter’s divorce, my youngest daughter’s pregnancy and childbirth, the lockdown, and the fear of losing everything I valued: my life, my children, my grandchildren, my health, my hopes and dreams for a quiet retirement. It was a time of overwhelming fear, not just for myself, but for everyone I knew and the world at large. The uncertainty and doubt were paralyzing, yet most of us pulled through. We survived, but not unscarred.

Lessons Learned

The lessons I learned during that time are ones I hope I’ll never forget, although my memories are often selective and choose to forget the pain. But I want to remember what I learned and how the lessons were learned. Now the storm has passed, those who have survived, must soothe our weeping hearts, reliving the pain, hearts dare not forget. I’ve grown wiser, kinder, and less careless with my fragile feelings. I’m more grateful for the life I feel fortunate to still have. 

I longed to feel the warm hugs of family and friends I hadn’t seen for months. I remember the silence—a strange, empty silence that was as terrifying as my fear that it would never end. It was a silence I pray I’ll never hear again, the silence of death and loss and emptiness. 

Hardest Moments

One specific moment that stands out was when I had to travel from the South of Spain to the North to visit my mother who was taken ill in hospital. I was allowed to spend most of the day at the hospital with her, but it was a traumatic experience. I wore two masks (at the same time, just in case), washed my hands obsessively, and lived in constant fear of getting COVID. My children called me daily, urging me to be careful. Fortunately, my mother recovered, and was able to leave the hospital, and I never caught the virus, but the fear was a dark shadow at my side.  

Shortly after, I had to travel to Munich because my fifth grandson had just been born. If any of you flew in the summer of 2020, you will remember there were very few flights, scarcely populated airport lounges, and we weren’t able to sit next to anyone, anywhere in the building, or on the plane, plus, of course the dreaded masks. The silence on board was as ominous as the silence in the streets.

How I coped

Through it all, I learned that we are stronger and more resilient than we think. We pulled through, in spite of the fear, and in many cases, loss of loved ones. This proven resilience shows how much we can endure and overcome in challenging times. 

How did I cope? I walked—a lot. Most days I walked 10,000 steps without leaving home, pacing up and down the stairs and around my small garden as I chatted or listened to podcasts. I couldn’t sit still; the nervous energy was overwhelming. I started meditating and journaling daily, a practice I still keep up. Reading on my kindle and listening on Audible, as well as writing filled many of my hours. Chatting to loved ones on the phone also helped immensely. I watched films and series on streaming platforms and followed many youtubers. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone—my husband was by my side, sharing the same fears and struggles, although at least he seemed much calmer than I felt, but who knows? We all express our worries in diverse ways, don’t we?. 

You’ve Got This!

The pandemic was a giant storm, but we face smaller storms every day. It’s through these storms that we grow. Life’s difficult moments teach us the most important lessons. Life is a miracle, and we are all part of this miracle. As long as we hang on to our hopes, dreams will happen. We did it once and we can do it again; we can make the world a better place for us all. 

However dark the night, the sun will always rise at dawn. We can make our lives a little better every day. We can overcome the little storms that try to spoil our days. Compared to the great storm of the pandemic, these are just puddles on the sidewalk. You’ve got this!

How did you cope during the 2020 lockdown and what lessons did you learn? Share your experience in the comments.