Finding the Happy

I saw research last week which showed—unsurprisingly—that most Americans are experiencing negative emotions at the moment. Some of the words they used to describe how they feel were “cautious,” “anxious,” and “concerned.” Couple the coronavirus outbreak with the tornado that came through Nashville at the beginning of the month, and those emotions are even more valid. I’m experiencing them as well. 

But there’s still a lot to be thankful for. As I write this, the sun just came out for the first time in days. Things are looking up! Even though I feel like I’ve been sheltered in place for too long already, here are a few things happening in Tennessee that I’m thankful for today.

1. Now hiring: It’s no secret that people are losing their jobs, and it’s truly a tragedy. But with hardship comes opportunity. The increased demand for people to work at grocery stores and delivery services is putting a lot of people back to work. Bonus: alcohol can now be delivered in Nashville, and I think we’re all pretty thankful for that. 

2. Rolling back those restrictions: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an order last week rolling back restrictions on telemedicine, scope of practice laws, and how beds are used at hospitals. In addition to improving health outcomes for Tennesseans, this opens the door for future conversations about why these laws exist in the first place.

3. Oak Ridge Summit: The world’s most powerful supercomputer, the Oak Ridge Summit, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is being used by researchers to find potential vaccines and treatments for coronavirus. My home state might be part of finding the cure or a life-saving treatment. That’s pretty amazing. 

4. Play on the Porch: Here’s something even more local. A few days ago, one of my neighbors posted on Nextdoor about everyone in our neighborhood who is a musician playing music on their front porches this coming Saturday night. Imagine how cool that’s going to be. Different songs coming from houses all over the neighborhood. Something to look forward to! 

Cheers to looking for the silver lining in all things, especially during these trying times.