We
here in North America are into week two of what I’m going to call the
“awareness” of the global pandemic of COVID-19. We’ve become “aware” of the
need for social distancing, self-isolation, handwashing, what businesses are
considered “essential”, and who’s getting laid off and who can work from home.
The
rest of the world figured it out in January and February, but Canada and the US
managed to keep our rose-coloured glasses on till the week of March 9th.
That was the week my husband, who’s a Major in the Canadian Armed Forces (Air
Force) started getting serious dispatches about how our military was about to
cope with the pandemic reaching our shores. And on Friday, March 13th,
around lunch time, I went grocery shopping and decided I’d “stock up” on some
essentials before there was a run on them.
Well,
the joke was on me because the shelves were already half bare. There was no
toilet paper to be had, Kleenex and paper towels were nearly gone, and the meat
department looked like the night stock boys hadn’t finished their shift. I
managed to score the last two packages of chicken drumsticks. I stared at my
“essentials” list and realized that people who were better organized, more up
on the news, had already stripped the shelves of hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes
and spray, toilet bowl cleaner (apparently Winnipeggers really care about
having clean toilets), and dishwasher detergent.
That
was the beginning of my family’s “work-at-home-self-isolation”. Our adult
children have Down Syndrome and we kept them home during Week One even though
their program was still open. My husband was ordered to work from home. My
writing routine of peace and quiet was immediately disrupted with three other
adults home all day, every day.
The
above paragraphs are from a letter I sent to a far-away friend. And then I got
the idea to keep a specific journal. Journaling during this pandemic is an
excellent idea if you’re a writer. Your experiences as a family, or as a single
person, stuck at home and dealing with the social isolation and supply
shortages, are crucial to your family history. Recording your thoughts and the
events of your days will be special to your children who’re dealing with being
out of school, their anxieties, and new experiences as they Facetime with
friends from their homes.
Here’s some ways to record or
journal your way through this pandemic:
1. Bullet
Journal:
keep lists of the TV shows your binge on Netflix, the movies you watch with
your kids, the science projects & activities you do with them. Keep a list
of how many books you read/review. Keep a list of any new hobbies you learn.
New podcasts, webinars, online courses you take. The trivia of your days are
the details future generations will cherish.
2. Keep a
video log
of your children each day. Have them say something they did that was fun during
the day, something new they learned, something they wish was different,
something they look forward to when this is all over. Take videos of them being
active outside when the weather is good.
We bring hope to readers with our stories. We write to entertain people. We write to record human experience and right now, the global pandemic is bringing the world together in a way it hasn’t experienced since 1918 with the Spanish Flu. Those days are with us again.
Let’s
make sure that the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic is recorded with words that speak of our
generosity, compassion, bravery, love, and the bright light of the human
spirit. Let’s rest in Jesus’ assurance that “in this world you will have
trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 15:33 He will never
leave us or forsake us.
It’s
not to late to start that new journal. Grab a new notebook, or binder paper, or
open up a new Document on your laptop. Have you thought about doing this? Please share your experiences in the comments.
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| BOOK LINK: Amazon |
Northern Deception
(Heroes
of the Tundra Book 1)
Reunions
can be deadly.
After
a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern
Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower
brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and
pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s
willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never
thought she’d see again.
Lukas
Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill
five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness
tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes
crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and
Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a
deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.
Laurie
Wood is a military wife who’s lived across Canada and visited six of its ten
provinces. She and her husband have raised two wonderful children with Down
Syndrome to adulthood, and their son and daughter are a wonderful blessing to
their lives. Over the years, Laurie’s books have finaled in prestigious
contests such as the Daphne du Maurier (twice), the TARA, the Jasmine, and the
Genesis. Her family lives in central Canada with a menagerie of rescue dogs and
cats. If the house were bigger, no doubt they’d have more.
Website: https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com
