Welcome to another edition of Five Things Friday! From the start, I’ve made it clear the focus of these weekly reviews is to focus on positive things in my life that make me happy and grateful.

While the COVID crisis has changed us all, I continue to focus on the positive. I believe that in times of crisis, focusing on even the smallest positive thing in one’s day can help keep us from losing hope.

However, this week I want to be honest and put it out there that I am struggling. I know others are too, and I want you to know you’re not alone. As I’ve said to my husband and besties lately, “It’s really hard to be a person right now.”

I’m struggling with the the severe divisiveness all over the country and specifically in my little corner of the world. It’s hard for me to process the fact that people I care about and interact with don’t take COVID as seriously as I do. I know I’m not the only one dealing with these feelings.

A dear friend sent me this text last night and I’d like to share it with you because this sentiment is my focus now:

We’re gonna get through this. That’s what I tell myself. We are going to be banged up, bruised and probably a little traumatized, but we will. I have faith in our resiliency.

We will get through this. Who knows when that will be or what the world will look like then. So in the mean time I will continue looking for things that are pretty, comforting, funny, or joyful. That doesn’t mean I won’t still get angry, heartbroken, and frustrated. Remember, we can feel all of these things at the same time. That’s why being a person can be so exhausting!

Along with sitting with my fear and anxiety, here are the other things I’ve been doing and feeling this week!

Some things that made me happy this week

Getting this book in the mail from a friend I’ve known since high school. She also sent a card with an inside joke on it, which made me happy to think about how long we’ve been friends and all we’ve been through.

The lily pads in my backyard pond are in full bloom right now. They open up in the morning and close at night. I love looking at them.

Something I read this week

This week I finished Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore. At first I thought it might be too weird for me. Then I quickly came to adore Oona. She’s a woman who is living a life in which each year she wakes up one her birthday she is living a different year of her life out of order. The story gets pretty dang bizarre in spots, though it remains surprisingly emotionally moving. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley, who does an amazing job as Oona. She gave the story emotion in all the right places. I highly recommend this one.

Something I did offline this week

My little dog Tinsley LOVES fetching balls thrown from his Chuck-It. I try to spend time with him doing this most days. It’s impossible to watch him with his ball and not feel his joy!

Some things I’m grateful for this week

• Having the option to stay home more.
• Having a great circle of friends.
• My dogs.
• Having air-conditioning.
• Being able to go barefoot outside.

Some things I’m looking forward to

• Taking Jennifer Pastiloff’s On Being Human workshop this weekend that will also feature Elizabeth Gilbert.
• My book club meeting next weekend.
• Hopefully finishing an essay I’m working on in time to submit it to a contest by the July 24th deadline.
• Getting some new face masks from my mother-in-law made with fun fabrics.

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Now tell me a thing or two that made you happy this week, and/or what you’re struggling with this week.

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