Positive Pandemic?

As we're heading in to our second quarantine weekend here in North Dakota, the reality of Coronavirus and social distancing are still hard to grasp. I've been fortunate enough to still be able to go to work, but being stuck in on the weekends is not easy. But this pandemic has helped me be thankful and see the good in a bad situation. Here's what I am currently thankful for:

• My Home - My fiance and I are used to working pretty opposite schedules and days off together are rare. Lately, we've had more time to spend together with our pets. A person can easily get lonely in a time like this, but my home and family make social distancing not so bad. We've cooked a lot of meals from scratch and played our favorite board and card games, which has been awesome.
• The "Essentials" - At this time, I am thankful for cashiers, servers, medical professionals, and the other "essential people." Seriously, these are the people who are currently holding up the country - from keeping stocked store shelves, to delivering food, to actually saving lives.Just like everyone else, they are most likely fearful of our current situation. But they still are working for our communities. Remember to thank a grocery store worker, a server, a nurse or doctor, and anyone else who's fighting for us.

• Creativity - I'd say that we've been creative about connecting since social distancing overtook our lives. I've seen hearts on doors (we even decorated ours at work), Netflix Parties, neighborhood workouts, teacher parades, and more. The ways we found how to stay connected are inspiring positivity in our community and around the world.
• Kindness - While we've seen selfishness during this time, we've also seen great acts of kindness. People are offering to shop for the vulnerable, some are donating time and money for the cause, restaurants and volunteers are helping feed those in need, people are adopting shelter animals, and more.

What are you thankful for?