Tuesday, July 21, 2020

But On the Bright Side...

During these trying--I am so over the word "unprecedented"--times
it helps to find something hopeful.

I am appreciating these things that have occurred since the beginning of the pandemic.


1. Better tv advertising.

Have you noticed the soft-sell tv ads? The commercial starts with some soothing music accompanying text and visuals that make us feel good about ourselves. Most of the ad is that kind of thing. At the very end, you see the logo of the advertiser. They tug at the heartstrings and don't try to hit you over the head with "Buy! Buy! Buy!" I wish advertising would keep this up, even after the end of the pandemic.


2. Outdoor concerts at seniors' residences.

At the seniors' residence next door to us they have one concert a week, usually Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, depending on the weather. It's the good stuff, too: songs from the sixties, rock, guitar, jazz piano. The seniors sit on their balconies to listen. I said "sit" but often they're dancing along.   It's a joy to watch them.


3. The return of manners and kindness.

Maybe they never went away, but they're more noticeable now. I'm so grateful for those cashiers and delivery people. They really mean it when they say, "Have a good day!" And so do I.



Today, after grocery shopping, M and I checked out the rest of the mall to see whether the stores were open yet. What a relief to see that most of them, except the restaurants, had reopened. We're still in Phase Two here, and I'm glad the Ontario government is being cautious and gradual about the reopenings. But, wow, how wonderful to see something out there that reminds me of "normality." 

Have a good day!