I woke up this morning and checked the amount of deaths in the US. As of April 19, 2020, it was 45,075. And even if we are making progress according to Governor Pritzker and the President, it looks like social distancing will continue through the summer and there is even talk of a possible upsurge in the fall with the combination of influenza and Covid-19. That might even make it difficult for young people to go back to school. This prognosis causes a cloud of depression to engulf me. On top of the news, my left foot has been giving me problems. What has kept me sane during the shutdown is my faith in God and my ability to take long walks while enjoying nature.

I’m doing what I can to take care of my left foot and I’m thankful for the many blessings that have come my way as a senior citizen. These have been the golden years for Larry and I. We have traveled to Germany, Spain, Italy and Hawaii. We have biked throughout Illinois and Wisconsin and skied the hills of Wilmot and Colorado. We have been blessed with a good pension and a wonderful financial planner.

Now, we are called to sit on the shelf of life for awhile. This is not an easy task for the Schuerrs who have a bit of Bohemian in them. We love to travel and to enjoy new experiences and meet new people. We are gregarious. But what are we thankful at the time in life. We were able to visit our Montana family at Christmas and we have our daughter and her beautiful family 48 miles away from us. We were able to travel to Oahu, Hawaii in February and stay at a military resort called Hale Koa and a base called Hickam AFB. We spent 10 lovely days strolling this beautiful island and enjoying wonderful hikes and scenic ocean views. I close my eyes and hear the ocean, see the flowers and enjoy the beauty that surrounded me.

Now we are learning new ways to deal with the stay at home order. We are finding that we can find happiness in simple ways. We have time now to enjoy the birds at our feeder, to cook delicious meals, to give to others in need and to develop our talents. We are getting to know the people in our neighborhood and to Zoom with friends and family. We hope that during this time we will become a better version of ourselves.

We have so much to be thankful for. Everyday, we find something to laugh about. Humor is of upmost importance. In fact, I wrote a story for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Laughter is the Best Medicine that was published. I love reading the stories before bedtime. At breakfast, we are planning our dinner menu. Larry has taken it to new heights creating tasty dishes. We can have an extravagant meal with wine and candle lights right here at home. We can enjoy our own yard as we watch the flowers bloom. I can write and play the piano and share it with friends and family. Right now, we are reading the book of James to glean morsels of advice on living a better life. That has led us to finding ways to give to people who are struggling financially at this time. We find that helping others has taken the focus off ourselves as it brings unexpected joy to others. We are following the guidelines to keep Covid-19 at bay.

Zoom has opened up a new world. I’m part of a book club that has 7 members and now 2 international members from Australia. Technology has opened up so many new doors for us. What can we learn to be a better version of ourselves during these days. What are you doing to brighten your days? Feel free to comment.