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Sending Community Wishes For Safe And Joyful Easter
pray

Hello everybody; I wanted to drop a quick note to you and your family, and be the first to wish you an eventful Holy Week and Happy Easter. Hopefully everyone is healthy and safe, while making the best of our time together at home. While most of us are sheltering in place, let’s remember those that are still working daily and are doing their best to help all of us get through this time of uncertainty. I know that I have come to appreciate my friends in the medical field greatly; their selflessness during these days should not go unnoticed.

Individually, we are all going to be affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. Whether it’s sickness, loss of work, struggling to make ends meet or frustration that your local market has horrendously long lines and are out of your selective food or personal items –we are all in this together. For many the frustration is everywhere and negativity looms. To get through these times, we need to turn this frustrating mindset of difficulty around. There aren’t problems in this world, only situations. Again, everyone is being affected by this – EVERYONE! Individually, we are being affected differently, some health, some financial, some family, but everyone is affected. This hard time is temporary, it will pass; I promise. Again, there are no problems, only situations. Situations create opportunity. Let me repeat that: Situations create opportunity. It is how you respond to this opportunity that needs to draw your focus. If you are chasing and hoping that the “normal” of last month is right around the corner, or will come back any day now – I’m sorry that “normal” is not coming back – Ever! And that is just fine. Where does it say a new normal can’t be better? Why can’t our households be better? Why can’t our communities be better? The opportunity you are searching for, is in the ways you are handling your current situations. Are you continuing to grow? Are we being intentional with our activities and interactions? Purposeful days? Purposeful acts? Are we taking our problems and looking at them as situations and creating opportunities to make your life, household, and world a better place? Are you taking advantage of this opportunity to make an impact? Creating new habits? Or are you still chasing last month’s idea of normal?

Personally, for us, it has been quite interesting to say the least. Like many, we have had to adjust to distance learning for school, new routines and the horrible thought of no social physical interaction for an extended period of time. It’s hard for me not to shake hands, pat someone on the back or give hugs; it’s something I have had to overcome. But I encourage all to spend this time wisely. Slow down. Appreciate some of the down time. Restore your principles in the family unit. Play games together. Pray together. Eat together – growing up, I learned more with my feet under the table and breaking bread than I did in any classroom. I feel we need to re-focus and restore our personal principles in our own inner circles. Don’t let this time of uncertainty weigh you down, leverage this time to take advantage of your situations and make the most to restore your faith, your mindset and your love for your family. Mother Teresa once said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”

Create new habits. Habits that promote growth, wellness and connection. Meditate on the “old” daily habits that were negative or detrimental to you, your family and business. Negative habits that were developed way before March of 2020 and that need to stay there, in the past. Because when this ends – and it will end – each of us needs to be better than the person we were in early March. Cultivate, nurture and grow: we need to do this daily, and this time of uncertainty can be made certain in one aspect of your life, simply by controlling your reactions to your current situation. Have faith, trust the process of new positive habits in your life and move forward. This too shall pass …

I wish you and your family a Happy Easter. Please enter Holy Week with a pure heart, pray with your family, and prepare yourselves for a joyful Easter.

 

Nicholas A. ‘Nick’ Caton is a longtime local resident and Realtor; this was submitted as a special guest column and the opinions expressed are those of the author.