I don’t know about you, but anytime something bad has happened in my life — well, the good things too, but especially the bad things — I try to figure out if there’s something I can learn from it.

I suppose it’s in our DNA to make an attempt learn from the bad stuff so we don’t do THAT again.

Mistakes I make are one thing, but the things that happen TO me, I try to understand them and then let them go. I even succeed! Occasionally.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve recently passed the 5 year mark since the W.H.O. declared COVID a global pandemic. In some ways it feels like a very long time ago. And going through an event as major and earth shattering as a pandemic has taught us all something.

Okay, some of us anyway.

There was a lot of good that came out of the bad. To begin with, it was amazing how scientists came up with a vaccine for COVID. And even more amazing how quickly that vaccine was distributed to all of us so we could stop the spread.

Of course, it didn’t get to everyone soon enough and some paid the ultimate price. I, myself, knew of a couple of people who died from COVID.

The rest of us figured out how to adjust to a very different world. It wasn’t easy and it was definitely scary sometimes, but we did what we had to. Well, most of us.

“Social distancing” became the phrase of the day. Wearing masks and standing far enough apart in public, or learning to use technology to meet online instead of doing so in person, became the thing. People started working from home, and some continue to do so to this day.

My husband had to go through a rigmorale to get his work computer hooked up in his home office. But once he did, he could more or less continue his work with just a few minor inconveniences.

I had to stop teaching guitar in person for a couple of months. I tried to teach online, but it was a lot more awkward, so I ended up taking a break instead. I was lucky that I could get away with that. And CERB helped.

A lot of people and businesses struggled, of course, and some have never fully recovered. We still see buildings and offices standing empty, even 5 years later.

Kids suffered a lot with having to get their school lessons at home and not being able to see their friends, or play at the park. For a child, those are BIG things.

And people in care facilities or confined to hospital suffered equally as much.

But we adjusted. We found ways to stay in touch without the touching part. We celebrated health care workers, really appreciating them for the first time. We put hearts in our windows and made a racket with our pots and pans every night when their shifts changed.

We stocked up on toilet paper. Yeah, that was kind of weird.

We learned the value of masks and disinfectant and washing your hands.

Oh, about the masks. Some people still haven’t figured out that wearing it under your nose doesn’t work. IT DOESN’T WORK.

Sorry, got off track there.

We came to value our families and our friendships so much more. Sitting together for a meal with an old friend. Going to a movie or a hockey game with the kids. So many things that we took for granted before.

And somehow we made it through. Especially when we found toilet paper.

These days we hardly ever see the word COVID in the news. Oh, it’s still around and probably always will be in some form or another. And there are some who are struggling with long COVID and who have had to adjust to a new physical norm. For them, COVID goes on and on.

Some stores or offices still have those old social distancing stickers, faded and worn, but a small reminder of our experience.

People wear masks more readily now than before the pandemic and I don’t blame them. We’ve become a lot more conscious of how easily disease and bacteria can spread. Been there, done that, don’t want to do it again.

In the end, an experience such as surviving a pandemic teaches us that we can overcome just about anything that threatens us. Anything. And ANYONE.

Yeah, you know who I’m talking about.

Now THERE’S someone who needs to be taught a lesson or two…

IJ