A lesson on coping with the pandemic from a Young Italian Girl

A lesson on coping with the pandemic from a Young Italian Girl

Typically, when we think of Italy, we think of the Rome, great food, and idyllic seaside resorts.

To my surprise, at the beginning of the pandemic, I found hope and optimism from a little Italian girl. My friends from Italy sent me a video of their young daughter, Cloe, who was given a project to keep her busy:  Re-create a mock-up of her school.  I have shown this video to my staff and my networking group; Today, I would like to share it with you.

Watch the video of the young Italian girl

Before the pandemic fully reached Canada, our Italian neighbours were dealing with the tragic consequences of the virus.  Despite these setbacks, young Cloe made the best of her circumstances.

Instead of complaining about the situation, she focused on the project given to her. Little does she know that her video has made an impact on many Canadians on this side of the world.

While the challenges of the pandemic persist, opportunities are available.  Personally, this pandemic has yielded these opportunities so far:

Supporting a grieving friend in a different setting

Two weeks ago, I hiked through the woods near Georgetown to support a grieving friend who just lost his father.  Looking back at this moment, what an opportunity to get fresh air and see more of the beautiful town of Georgetown.  We even managed to fit in a snowball fight — something I haven’t done in over three decades!

If we weren’t under a pandemic, I’m sure we would have been sitting in his basement drinking a beer or two, watching sports on TV.

Despite cold conditions, we adapted to the situation, and we did an activity that was healthy both from a physical and mental standpoint.

Connecting over long distances

In the past, we would only connect with overseas friends when they come into town.  Typically, my friend (from California) and I would only chat by phone every couple of weeks or so.  Nowadays, while we are engaging in chats more frequently, we are also including our partners in our chats.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to connect with people important to me — and more often — despite the distance. It taught me a valuable lesson on keeping in touch with others: With technology today there is no excuse in keeping in touch with friends and family.

Traveling differently: Seeing differently

Last summer, my wife and I took our longest road trip ever: We drove from Toronto, Ontario, to Kenora, Ontario, — a 1,900 km one-way trip — in our electric car.  We camped at Lake Superior Provincial Park and Sleeping Giant Provincial Park (near Thunder Bay).  We had an opportunity to experience the outdoors and see Canada from a different perspective.

*****

Dale Carnegie once said, “If you have a lemon, make lemonade.” Located in Italy is an area called the Amalfi coast.  Amalfi is known for its many groves of lemon trees.  Perhaps we can find another lesson from our Italian friends: Their affinity for lemons and how to best use them.

In the comments below, share your opportunities on making lemonade during the pandemic

Arrivederci,

Darrell