We’re learning to be appreciative

It’s said that we never truly appreciate something until it’s gone.

That’s true.

And it doesn’t take long.

Local schools have now been shut down for a month.

Indiana’s stay-at-home order has been in effect for less than three weeks.

In the grand scheme of things, a month isn’t all that long. On average in the United States, we live for 944 months.

But even after a relatively short time, there are certainly things we are all missing. We’ve even heard from some who would consider themselves lone wolves — those who would typically turn down a night out in favor of staying home on the couch in pajamas — who are missing the human contact of our regular daily lives.

For most of us, it’s not even the big things — vacations, dinners at fancy restaurants, nights out in Indianapolis — that we are missing. It’s the little things.

Little things like:

•Visiting family that doesn’t live in your household.

•Gathering with friends to play backyard games and swap funny stories.

•Attending church.

•Going to work. (Who would have ever thought that would be something to miss?)

•Sports.

•Stopping in somewhere — a store, bank, government office or the post office or any number of other locations — just to talk.

•Taking the kids to the playground at the park.

•Getting a group of friends together for a casual dinner at a restaurant.

•Plays, concerts and art exhibits.

•Being able to stop in the store for a leisurely chat with a friend you just happened to bump into.

•Having something — anything — to do after work.

This is a situation no one wants to be in. Those on the front lines are being pushed to their limits. We will mourn far too many dead.

But, if when we arrive on the other side of this pandemic we appreciate time spent our family, friends and neighbors a bit more, we will have salvaged something valuable from this period of separation. — R.C.