In the wee hours of the morning thoughts come to mind that I cannot explain, perhaps this is the only time when my brain is not scrambling with items from a to-do list or the activities I failed to accomplish the day before. Maybe 3:00 AM is the time when I am able to let go and let God enter. Although I did not audibly hear Him speak this morning, in my mind I am Respectfully Mystified that He sent a particular thought my way. Even if it was an admonishment! You see, this morning, two words forced their way through the haze of sleep and those two words were Attitude and Gratitude.

As I pass the 30-day mark of social isolation where the only two buildings I’ve entered are my home and office, and as I diligently work to implement the strategies that were suggested to my students, I admit to finding myself still a bit out of sorts. Not finding an accurate word or explanation to articulate these unsettled feelings, I remain adrift in my attempt to navigate a completely unknown future, a Life Interrupted by an unseen virus. However uneasy I may feel today, I am reminded that there are two aspects which are easily under my control, and those are my Attitude and my sense of Gratitude.

The Lord continually provides me with reminders of His provision, whether it comes from words shared by Dr. Dub, a blog post of a Union alumni, a routine copied from an athletic director, or a stranger’s article on the Internet. In each of these reminders, I am being asked to carefully consider the role that Attitude and Gratitude play in my current situation. At the conclusion of a town hall meeting, Dr. Dub reminded us that through every crisis, our attitude matters and that we should “choose faith over fear, to choose worship over worry, to choose a reasoned response over a reaction, to choose peace over panic, and to choose love overall.”

In addition to Dr. Dub’s prompt, I am reminded to return to my previous routine of starting my work day, even if it does not occur within the walls of A-20A, because it shifts my thoughts on Attitude and Gratitude away from myself and toward others. Years ago, after reading Joan Cronan’s Sport is Life With the Volume Turned Up, I adapted her “ringing the BELLS” acronym to the beginning of my own day: Bible, Exercise, Letter (hand-written note of encouragement), Learn (something new), and Special Project (time invested in a worth-while task). Beginning the day in prayer and thanksgiving provides a sense of purpose to what God has called me to in this particular season of life.

Complying with restrictions and limits in this crisis is vital for the safety of myself and others, but it does not mean that we surrender control of our Attitude, and it certainly does not stop us from expressing Gratitude for things such as: having students who are allowing us to teach them about our discipline; access to food and shelter (and hopefully, in the near future, toilet paper!), and that although I cannot board a plane to travel, I do have access to adventures and stories through library books. In a time where we are discovering What is Truly Essential, we can embrace the blessings we are provided and seek out opportunities to focus positively on our Attitude and Gratitude.

In this time of uncertainty, what strategies are you implementing that allow you to focus on blessings rather than the unknown times ahead? What has helped you to navigate the current normal? Perhaps it was a message shared by a pastor, a meme shared on social media, or a passage you read in a book, please feel free to share in the comments below.

References:

Cronan, J. (2015). Sport is life with the volume turned up: Lessons learned that apply to business and life. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. 

Oliver, S.W. (2020, April 6). Town Hall Meeting. Union University. Jackson, Tennessee.