During this past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down and changed not just the way we live and work, but also how we think and behave. Every part of the world has been affected, and every aspect of life has been impacted. Perhaps there are some life lessons to take away from this pandemic.

I’m sure we all learned something…I have asked my friends to tell me one thing they have learned during the time when the whole world was fighting this deadly virus. I have gotten many wonderful responses and would like to share some of them with you.

1. Patience. – Cierpliwość.

2. Humans are adaptive, and life is more flexible than we think. – Ludzie są adaptacyjni, a życie jest bardziej elastyczne, niż nam się wydaje.

3. To find positive in every situation. – Aby znaleźć coś pozytywnego w każdej sytuacji.

4. I have really been enjoying baking. Sometimes with my kids, just my daughter or just by myself. – Naprawdę lubię pieczenie. Czasami z moimi dziećmi, tylko z moją córką lub po prostu sama.

5. Not to take anything for granted. – Nie brać niczego za pewnik.

6. I have learned I can be an absolutely horrible person in the defense of others. –Nauczyłem się, że mogę być absolutnie okropną osobą w obronie innych.

7. Not to trust government and do what needs to be done. – Nie ufać rządowi i robić to, co trzeba.

8. Because most of my face is hidden by the mask, I have found that eye contact and a friendly wave to a stranger passing by feels good. – Ponieważ maska ​​zakrywa większą część mojej twarzy, zauważyłam, że ten kontakt wzrokowy i przyjazna machanie do przechodzącego nieznajomego są przyjemne.

9. There is goodness and humanity, even in the darkness. – Jest dobro i człowieczeństwo, nawet w ciemności.

10. Simple and easy are very different things. – Proste i łatwe to bardzo różne rzeczy.

What pandemic has taught me? My family is the most important! My two daughters are amazing.

What have I learned? A lot, the list is long. Life won’t be the same after—and that’s o.k. I’ve also realized the extraordinary importance of preparation; we knew a pandemic would come around at some point, but we were still somehow largely unprepared.

Hopefully we’ll feel a new sense of appreciation if and when we do get to act normal again. And hopefully that, and the other lessons we pull from this over time, will stick around for a long time.