Pandemic(before and after)

We all have normal life before this pandemic came and many of our plans for the whole year and for the future change because of this virus. And also this help us realize many things in life that we neglect before and cherish now.

Before pandemic, I did have a very busy daily life

Monday to Saturday I woke up 3 am to prepare for work. I know it's a little early than normal. But as in my way to work I need to burn more than 2 hours commuting because of traffic and also it is far from my home. At work, I need to manage my time doing office work and going to project sites to check on my people and the updates of work for my report every Saturday,Oh I work as an admin staff and I take care of the manpower and the projects timeline(much work of an admin staff huh) of a construction company. I only rest for 30 minutes during lunch because I need to go for my afternoon rotation again. Came back to office for my written report and do office work(encoding, making power point,minutes of meeting, costing quotations).

After work I need to travel 30 minutes to go to my community branch area for our weekly prayer meeting, I'm a full time servant of a catholic charismatic community, and I attend 3 to 4 prayer meetings a week(Monday, Tuesday,Saturday(afternoon and evening))and I do that in different places. As a full time servant I am scheduled to serve on different areas during those days after work. So I only rest going to gathering during Wednesday/Thursday/Friday. I cleared my scheduled in the community during those days because I need to stay late in the office

=Wednesday- need to organize the things I need for my weekly report.

Thursday= cut-off for the manpower's payroll so after strolling to the project sites I need to get the data from the bio-metrics and the time sheet and go back to office to input it. I need to record a total of 200 names and it's data and need to look closely for absences and late(our employees are very thorough when it comes to their salary).

Friday= brainstorming for my weekly report the next day. Need to be less in mistakes because the Presidents very strict. From the finance and manpower and projects I need to put it all in my mind all in one.

Saturday=Payroll/salary day and reporting day.

After a whole busy week here comes Sunday where I get to shut off my laptop and phone and spend my whole day with my family specially my son. After Sunday mass it's bonding time.I need to cope up with the days of me being busy with work and community services.Although I get to see them after work and even late because they always wait for me everyday. It makes me happy that my parents understands that I can't leave the community while being busy with work because being in a catholic community is also refreshing and you have time with God while worshiping Him and giving Him praises for all the blessings me and my family receives everyday.

There was time where I get a very bad headache and I need to go to work that my mom yelled at me saying that I need to rest. But in my mind I need to get my report done to be at peace. I know I'm hard-headed freak and sometimes childish but once I set my mind onto it I do it healthy or sick. So I held my bag and said I need to work and then it drawn to me that my son was watching me early in the morning crying because his MAMA is sick. Trying to compose myself and trying hard not to cry, I held his hands and said "Just kiss MAMA's head and give me a hug and I will be fine" which the young boy did as told. I don't want him to see me being weak that's why.

Most stressful for me would be the December 2019 where I need to organize many events. The employees Christmas party,and then the staff get-away party,where I need to find some hot spots to unwind for the staff together with Big Boss. And I was also assigned as the organizer for the community Christmas party in different branches, also need to help with the preparations for the singles Christmas party for I am the Head of it also. Thinking and planning I thought I couldn't make it to the deadline and celebration day but thanks to the help of good hands I get to hold all Christmas parties and make it eventful for everyone. After everything I need to plan for the family's party too, I need to buy and organize all my presents for them and for the food that were going to prepare for the Christmas eve. All in all I look like a machine last year hahahahahahaha.

Then next year comes the big blast of the pandemic that affects the world in general. By the increasing number of positive cases in our work area and not risking our own health and all the projects get to put a rest also so we don't have any moving projects at that time. So the company had decided that we rest for a while and will just update the rest on when are we going to go back to work. I didn't worry about myself having no work because I can rely to my parents for the meantime. What I worried was the people in the projects, they are just minimum wagers and where living day to day using their salary weekly and no other source of income. The company provided one sack of rice each and an enough amount of fund for them to use during the lock down.

No prayer meetings and gatherings so my whole week became free. I get to sleep more than 8 hours a day where in before I only get to sleep for 3 hours. Waking up early morning and cleaning the inside and the backyard of the house. Having to cook meals for the whole family. Siesta with my son and my nieces during afternoon. Chatting with my parents in the dining hall. My prayer time and talking with the Lord became longer and longer unlike before. I get to teach my son basic education.

For most people this pandemic is devastating and a downhill for them. But for me it became a healing and a refreshment. I didn't get to experience any of these at work. I never get to see my son dance and laugh out loud. I never get to see him doze while I'm still talking. Never get to see my mom cried while watching heavy dramas.Never get a chance to watch horror movies with my sisters(I hate horror). Never get to a chance to learn how to drive with my dad.

See, if we look on the brighter side, we could cherish and seize the moment and not complain every time. Just think of it as God's way of telling you that He can take anything from you any moment now so you should cherish it and be thankful. Me , I am thankful, I lost my job for a while but I get to have more time with my family and my son. We don't have enough funds because most of us didn't have work, we made gardens and be vegetarians hahahah.

When the situations became controllable in my work area, my Boss called and ask me to work again. And because of the unstable situation I need to stay in the office and work Monday-Friday and can only go home Friday afternoon. So I work 5 days a week now. I'm away with my family but it is for their safety also. We video call everyday to make them not miss me much hehehe.

Although I get to adjust I still miss them and my working time becomes hectic as some of our projects are functioning now but still I'm happy and contented.

you? what happened to you during pandemic?