Even in the midst of many changes and unknowns She took a deep breath gathered her courage and dared to make today good.

Rachel Marie Martin

Every morning when I wake up, I spend a few moments easing into the day.  First, I try to figure out what day of the week it is.  My older and wiser sister tells me to let it go and not worry about what day it is, just be glad I woke up!

I eventually force myself out of the warm cocoon of my bed.  Mr. Smith, having heard my stirrings, prepares my morning cappuccino.  I drifted towards the fragrance, grabbed my coffee and settled into my perch near the window.  After scanning the outside world to be sure it still sits solidly below me, I start scrolling through my phone, checking for emails, text messages, or new Facebook or Instagram posts, hopefully featuring my grandchildren.  During my Thursday morning routine, I discovered the quote above by Rachel Marie Martin on my Facebook feed, via a Facebook friend.  Amy’s personal comment was:  Trying to make today a good day.  Thanks Amy, challenge accepted.

All during the Pandemic, I have rejected the thought of a “silver lining.”  People are dying, people are isolated, out of a job and struggling to get by.  How on earth could anyone find a silver lining?  A phone conversation with my first born one evening made me reconsider my pessimistic stance.  I decided to look up the definition and make sure I was interpreting the expression correctly.  According to vocabulary.com, “The common expression ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ means that even the worst events or situations have some positive aspects.”  Like many others, my son and his family have worked to find their silver lining in a less harried lifestyle and more time together.  Not every moment is perfect, but they are doing a great job of surviving the restrictive environment with creativity and some ingenuity.

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So, I want to gather my courage and try to make today better, but for a self-proclaimed planner, the Pandemic has been a huge challenge.  Without something to look forward to, I have felt stagnant and stuck in a rut.  No get togethers to plan, parties, or themed sleepovers. Mostly I miss my family. Because there is still so much uncertainty, Mr. Smith and I are leery of planning a Camp Grandma for the summer of 2021.  We aren’t comfortable asking all our children and grandchildren to travel until we are more confident that all is safe.

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 But I do need a project, something to plan.  I thought about what I treasure most about Camp Grandma and one of the things at the top of my list is the cousins having time together.  They live hundreds of miles apart and have few opportunities to be together.  So, as often happens, my musings led me to a new undertaking.  I am going to initiate a round robin style letter between the cousins and me.  I will start by asking some prompting and fun questions but give them plenty of room to share what’s new with them, draw a picture or tell a joke.  My goal is to keep their connection (and the letter) going and remind them that when it is safe, we will again roast marshmallows together and talk about the time Camp Grandma was cancelled.  

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Over the horizon, ever so faintly, I see a glimmer of hope.  There are slightly warmer temperatures in the forecast.  More and more people are receiving the magical life-saving vaccine.  My grandsons will be returning to their classrooms soon.  My granddaughters will have playdates with their friends. Thank you, Amy, for providing some much need inspiration to be creative and create my own silver lining.  Or at least my own grandma keepsake of a Pandemic round robin letter with my grandchildren.

C’est la vie.