Gratefulness amid Coronavirus

It was not a good way to start a new decade with all the worrying news concerning a new virus
allegedly originating from Wuhan, China. As the first confirmed case in Hong Kong was
reported in January 2020, many people from my hometown rushed to the store for surgical masks and hand sanitizer. I also shipped some masks to my family and friends in Hong Kong as they could not find any although my friends in Bloomington gave me a doubtful look when I told them.

Since March 2020, the Coronavirus has been affecting the life and emotion of every American.
We have been overwhelmed by the news, no matter if it is real or fake, from day to day. Policies
of the government and different organizations have been changing minute by minute. I have been so busy catching up with both local and international news, anxiously changing channels on my television constantly.

I am grateful the coffeehouse where I work remains open after the governor announced that
restaurants in Indiana would be closed for dine-in service starting 16 March. However, we are
limited to ‘take-out’, curbside pickup and delivery orders. When I walked into the coffeehouse
for the first time after the governor’s order, I noticed all chairs were put away and all coffee air
pots were moved to the back of the counter, so all drip coffee has become full service for the
time being. Except for taking orders and making coffee, my colleague and I were diligently
cleaning and disinfecting the shop more often with sanitizer, door knobs, the counters, the
customer waiting area, to mention but a few. I even sanitized the pens that the customers used.Time went fast even though business was slower than usual because of the extra cleaning work.

My boss is kind and generous enough to offer employee meals twice a week during this difficult
period of time. As a foodie, I am so delighted for his decision. Employees can choose to pick up
the food at his restaurant Downtown or choose to have it delivered. The food is healthy and
delicious as expected, and it relieves some of the pressure for me to do grocery shopping and
cook.

Speaking of grocery shopping, I would like to give my wholehearted gratitude to all workers at
grocery stores and pharmacies. One night I went to pick up some non-essentials from Walmart,
and I was not aware that they were closing in 15 minutes. Many shelves and freezers were
empty, but I was lucky enough to get the last pack of what I needed. I was a little bit worried
about the situation. However, I read from a Facebook post that the store was well stocked the day after, except for toilet paper, of course.

On 23 March, the Indiana Governor issued a ‘stay-at-home’ order effective on 25 March for 14
days. How can I utilize the free time on my hands? I have been spending some time hanging out
with my church mates and friends via Zoom. My pastor and associate pastor have gone on
Facebook live frequently to catch up with us. Bible studies and Sunday services have moved
online, I admit that it suits my schedule more that way.

Yesterday, I went to the Indiana University campus to take a walk and shoot some photos. The
flowers were blooming prettily as if they were reassuring me that everything would be fine.

As the saying goes, life must go on. I wish everyone to stay healthy and happy despite the
uncertainties.