What I Learned | Spring 2020

Looking back at my last What I Learned post, I read that I had called the winter season a dud. It turns out that Spring was anything but, with a worldwide pandemic and subsequent social distancing lockdown. Insert the obvious "hold my beer" joke. I had very little face-to-face interaction with anyone other than the few family members I live with or near, but I made a lot of observations and learned many new things. Who knew one could gain such a wealth of wisdom from their own living room?

Last season, with the lack of wintery weather, I was craving an open window and fresh air, change, and growth. I certainly got the opportunity to enjoy nature, albeit very wet with the drenching rains, and I planted a lot of personal growth seeds that are sprouting and will hopefully flourish this summer. Once again, I join Emily Freeman in sharing the things I learned this season.

Most people are afraid to try something new.

I think, in a broader sense, this applies to most of humanity and in all sorts of situations, but for me, I've most recently seen it when it comes to food. If I talk about preparing a meal using an ingredient that my family hasn't eaten before, I get a very mixed response. They are hesitant to try new things. I'm sure I could make the same ten meals over and over and everyone would be thrilled, but I enjoy trying new recipes and creating my own, and I love getting to use ingredients that I've never cooked with before. It has been a work in progress to convince others to try new things, but I'm determined to help them learn to appreciate a little more variety in their diet.

It is okay to make a decision and stand by it.

A few months ago, I had to make a tough decision to put some distance between myself and someone in my family that I had been very close with. The details are personal, but it was the only option I had left and it was done to protect myself and sustain my own well-being. I got a lot of flak about my decision and other family members have tried to intervene and encourage reconciliation. I'm all about forgiveness in time, with a sincere conversation and an apology from the offending party, but also when I know that the line won't be crossed again. It's tough to be pressured by your people when they feel that you made the wrong decision, but you have to do what is best for your safety and mental wellness. You don't have to justify your choices to anyone.

I love a good challenge.

I've been working on #the100dayproject, and for the first time, I'm close to completing it. In years past, I've chosen complicated projects that involved a lot of setup and clean-up, and the extra work prevented me from feeling excited about the task. This year, I wanted to do something simple that would take just a few moments every day, and it turned out to be a great project to do while locked down in my home. I've always joked with friends that the easiest way to get me to do something is to dare me. I love a good challenge and am more likely to complete it when I keep the details simple and easy to navigate.

There is a direct link between fear and hoarding.

Oh, toilet paper-gate of 2020. At first, it was funny to see people filling their carts with jumbo packs of toilet paper and then all the subsequent memes that were inspired by this phenomenon. It was only when people started posting photos of their stockpiles, bragging that they would be able to survive the pandemic, all the while, elderly and disabled citizens were seen gazing at empty shelves that I realized that we have a serious greed problem in this world. I now understand why there is always a psychologist involved in dealing with people who have become severe hoarders. There is always some kind of fear at the root of it. In regards to this pandemic, the fear of the unknown, of dying, of seeing loved ones getting sick was enough to send people overboard and buy things that didn't completely make sense and that they didn't need.

It was inspiring to see those who tried their best to combat the uneven scales of greed and want. A friend of mine who has a severe chronic illness and had developed symptoms of COVID-19 organized a neighborhood donation box where things like cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and shelf-stable food were left for neighbors who were in need. They also created a board for people to post specific things they needed and other neighbors were able to fill those as they could. Seeing stories like these warmed my heart and stirred my own resolve to help those who were left wanting. I was reminded of Mr. Fred Roger's famous quote, "Look for the helpers." I am so grateful to call many of those helpers my friends.

I still enjoy the thrill of the chase.

I might have mentioned this before here on the blog, but I was an amateur storm chaser in my early days. I've always been fascinated by the wonder of weather, and am very interested in the science behind it. When I saw Twister in high school, it solidified my love for storms. I had a friend in college who did severe weather photography, so I got to "chase" quite a bit with him. Being from the mid-eastern part of the United States, we don't have a lot of tornadoes here, but I have experienced a handful of them in the daylight. Each time, the thrill makes my heart pitter-patter. Now, I'm not able to chase on my own, so I follow all the extreme weather specialists, like Reed Timmer, who does live Facebook videos for the better part of the tornado season, and they are always playing in the background here. I might not be in on the action, but I still enjoy the thrill of the chase.

There are so many ways to use mustard dregs!

I. Love. Mustard. Whether it's the French's yellow kind or the expensive dijon varieties, I enjoy using the condiment in many recipes. I happened to stumble on a video that showed how to use those last little bits of mustard from the jar so that not a drop goes to waste, and I knew it was something I had to share, in case there were other mustard lovers out there. This could also work with any other jarred sauce or condiment. What a great tip!

Indecision is a decision.

This is an idea that I've encountered more than a few times over the last couple of months. In my own life, in books, and in movies, someone says something to the effect of, "Don't make me choose," but what they don't realize is that indecision is a decision. You might not want to choose between two things, maybe for fear of hurting someone's feelings or losing an option that you want to keep around, but by not choosing, you are sending a clear message that one is not more important than the other. That might not sound like a big deal when you're looking at choosing between two different dishes from a menu, but when you frame it in the context of people and your relationships, it's very important.

In my own experience, indecision has sometimes hindered me from achieving the most desirable outcome, or living my best life, as they say. We are blessed with the ability to choose, and making choices doesn't mean that we are bad people. In fact, I believe it makes us better people because we know what we want and aren't afraid to go after it.