The Little Things No. 8

Dear friends,

I hope that you are all safe and healthy at home today. This week I have decided to change up my weekly The Little Things Post for the better. I am still going to be sharing the little things in my life that have brought me joy and gratitude each week, but I have also decided that I want to start each post with a personalized letter to you.

I have always loved writing letters and finding them in my mail box. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy a nice penned letter as well. Although I cannot write and mail a letter to each and every one of you, I am blessed with the technology to send my letters out into the world all over the globe, until it reaches you. I’m sitting here at my desk in Connecticut typing this up right now and once it is published, this letter will make it all the way to you no matter where in the world you are at this very moment. That is a truly magical thing to be able to do and share with you. Thank you for being here to read this today.

I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share the more personal thoughts and moments of my week with all of you. Blogs are a fun way to share information from travel tips to well being practices and style. However, all these posts, although fun to read, are not always the best way to connect personally with everyone. I’m taking this opportunity to share a little more of myself with you.

This week it sounds like the U.S. government is starting to (at least in most places) take the threat of the Covid-19 virus seriously. Matthew and I have felt so frustrated with the United State’s terrible leadership and lack of support from the federal government. We’re very fortunate that so many state governors are taking the lead and protecting their citizens. This is a really difficult time right now all over the world, and I hope that you are staying home , not just for yourselves, but also for your loved ones and your community. Together, we can all stop the spread. But this doesn’t work as long as people are ignoring the guidelines. We’re all in this together. I’ve been so touched by all of the wonderful ways that people have been supporting and uplifting one another through this world-wide crisis.

I have been taking the distancing pretty seriously because of the elders in my life that I love and because my boss is over seventy. Most of our clients at the office are elderly. We’re pretty much completely shut down, but I’m still going in to the office every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to check the mail, scan documents to the attorneys, sanitize the doors and surfaces, and act as a witness for urgent Wills and Healthcare Directives. I did all my grocery shopping last week so I will not put others at risk by going back to the store. I’m doing everything I can to stay home and do my part. Of course, I do worry, but for the most part I have been feeling calm and grateful.

I know that for many people living paycheck to paycheck (most Americans sadly do), that this shutdown has been very stressful, especially on families. Matthew and I are doing our part to lend a helping hand to those we know who are financially struggling and calling those who may feel isolated, like my grandmother. More than anything, this has taught us to be even more thankful.

Most of our recent days have been rainy, but I did manage to get outside our apartment (outside in nature where no one else is around) yesterday and I took some photos for the blog. Being able to take pictures again and do what I love has brought me some peace and joy. My mornings begin with a cup of tea with honey and end in mostly the same way. I’ve been spending less time in front of the television or my phone and reading more. I haven’t been able to really get into a book lately because my thoughts are chaotic, but I have been reading the many magazine articles from my favorite UK wellness magazines such as Breathe, In the Moment, and Planet Mindful, which I bought last week when I was preparing to follow the quarantine. Practicing mindfulness has kept me feeling very level headed and relaxed, despite my worries. What have you been doing to keep yourself entertained?

This week the little things I am thankful for are:

The quiet moments spent at home.

It’s not fun feeling stuck or trapped. However, I’ve been doing my best to turn the thought around and consider it a blessing to be home.

Time to clean my kitchen. My pantry is looking really nice right now, although a little extra packed than usual.

The movie Matilda.

I was obsessed with the 1996 film Matilda as a kid. I own it on DVD and I re-watched it recently. I realized all the life lessons it still has for me as an adult. I wrote all about it in my latest blog post, Things I Learned From Matilda As A Child And As An Adult. That, and I’m really digging all the throwback 90’s fashion from the movie that I’m seeing in style again this season.

The spring flowers are beginning to pop up.

Despite the snowfall we had on Monday, the flowers are beginning to bloom.