Spot of T: It’s the little things
How’re you doing in this time of uncertainty? Each of our experiences is different; we each have unique situations, specific to our lives. But ultimately, we all live under the same difficult set of rules. Social distancing. Masks required. Stayat-home protocols. Travel ban. These are all phrases that have unfortunately become part of our everyday vocabulary.
No, things will not magically go back to the way they were before COVID-19 hit. But I will maintain, not all results of this pandemic have been bad. I for one have realized that sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. We just have to learn to appreciate the small stuff. Not a bad lesson to learn.
The number of people who are learning new technology each day, in order to stay in touch with their beloved family members, is astounding. I see it every day here at Brittany Pointe. Here, many of our residents were very tech savvy already, but now, the number has risen greatly. FaceTime, Skype, House Party, Zoom, Facebook Messenger and video calls have become the lifeline of many.
Due to virtual church services, many people have had to acquaint themselves with this new way of worship. In my church, our services are streamed live via
Facebook, while being coordinated with Zoom. The contributors of the service are connected virtually – the pastor, the musicians, the readers. Those of us involved with this process have learned so much, and those who tune in, including many seniors, are also becoming more and more familiar with it.
It might seem like a little thing — a few programs on a computer or iPad. And yet, it is allowing the entire country to worship with their church families in real time. This little thing has become a lifeline for so many.
Time. We now have more of it. This past weekend, I sat down and read a few chapters of a book. That may seem like a little thing, but in my world, it’s huge. I don’t usually have a lot of extra time. I do now and I try to make the best use of it. You can consider this mandatory quarantine to be a curse, but, though difficult, I choose to see it as a blessing, in some ways. If you try to make the most of the situation, great things may happen.
Drive-by’s. Another new term that has become so incredibly important. The simple act of driving by someone’s house on a special occasion, of pausing at a house to wave and talk through a car window, can elevate spirits immensely. On my birthday in April, my daughter and her children stopped by to hand presents out of the car window, and my grandkids held up signs that they had made. It’s a little thing, a small act of kindness, that made my entire day. I felt their love through the virtual hugs.
A phone call to a friend or family member who lives alone might seem trivial to you, but to that person, it may be the only contact they have that day. A little thing offered may easily be perceived as a great gift by others.
The ripple effect of the little things can be far reaching. Consider a small pebble thrown into a smooth pond. The ripples continue outward, seemingly unending. So, in a similar way, a tiny gesture of love can do the same thing. So, go ahead, toss that small pebble of kindness into the pond. Do what you can in this time of challenge to make life just a little bit better for others. Trust me, it is no little thing.
Terry Alburger is the resident services director at Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Montgomery County.