Are YOU worth my Pandemic while?

Mga Nan-sis! Ilang days na lang we will celebrate or (maybe a better term) commemorate one year of being in quarantine.

I remember it was March 15 when our country was placed under GCQ, which eventually became ECQ, then MGCQ and now back to GCQ. I hope I got that right.

So aside from adopting three cats and welcoming Lulu (golden retriever) during the pandemic, what were the things that I have done during the pandemic? What were my realizations about life? Have I done anything worth the "pandemic while?"

Maybe these three questions are worth asking ourselves at this time.

All of us experienced being locked in the house for, I think, at least 3 months.  Then some of us were called back to work, reporting a few times a week. Until some commercial establishments were allowed to operate again, at unti-unti na rin tayong nakakalabas. (Pero remind ko lang kayo, mga Nan-sis, na kahit ngayon if we can stay at home and just go out when necessary, let's do so. Covid is real!)

Our three adopted cats during the pandemic:
Fish, Rice and Beans. Lower R: Lulu, our
Golden Retriever. 

Ano ba ang pinaggagawa natin nung mga 

panahong 'yun? 

As for me, I was working from home, until I made a major life decision to resign (but this is another story). And so while I had more time, I started cleaning the house more, decluttering, giving myself more ME time, staying in my favorite area - my balcony - to do journaling, listening to my own kind of music (that the G Skwad were so tired of hearing) or just simply lounging in my recliner chair, while just being quiet, and of course taking my daily dose of coffee. 

One of those days at work during the GCQ.

I also spent more time doing and enjoying my hobbies, such as singing (videoke), which I enjoyed tremendously kasi ang sarap mag-feeling Songbird of the Philippines na walang nagja-judge sa iyo. Haha. Of course my love for watching films was realized through Netflix. So as often as I can, I watch movies and series. In short, these things are those hobbies na di natin masyado nabibigyan ng time nung hindi pa tayo nala-lockdown and everything was normal. 

Restoring a vintage dresser for my new
business, sari-saRESTORE.

And of course, just like many of you, I tried becoming a PlanTITA. But to no avail. Ilang halaman na rin ang napatay ko sa hindi sinasadyang mga kadahilanan. Believe me, I tried. Kinakausap ko pa sila. Pero mas pinili pa rin nila ang kamatayan. Kaya isa 'yan sa mga discoveries ko, I cannot be a 

certified PlanTITA. Plain TITA puwede pa.  

During this pandemic, I also tried a few home-based/online businesses, but chose not to sustain most of them. Kumbaga, nagkaroon ako ng time to experiment and discover what I can do to earn. Natutuhan ko na when you open a business, gustong-gusto mo dapat 'yung ginagawa mo; not just a fad or a passing fancy, kung hindi, hindi rin magtatagal. So I chose to stick it out with my furniture restoration business, Sari-saRESTORE, because I am passionate about it. 

Nagsimula rin akong bumalik sa pag-e-exercise one month into the lockdown. Nais ko sanang maibalik ang aking alindog. Pero, mga Nan-sis, napaka-challenging 

pala talaga sa golden age natin! We have a certain body frame and weight after we have given birth and once we reach a certain age - na kahit anong effort mo, hanggang dun na lang. Pero push lang nang push. Beke nemen!

Started with my cardio
workout last April 2020. 

It was also during this pandemic that I experienced the pain of death and the joy of life. I lost the first man in my life, my dad, last August 8. Then we received the gift of life last November 29, with the birth of my first apo, Amara Catrice.  

Read: https://nancydavidgalang.blogspot.com/2020/08/singled-and-dadless-by-nancy-david.html?m=1

https://nancydavidgalang.blogspot.com/2020/06/becoming-singled-lola-by-nancy-d.html?m=1

I then learned all over again that God is almighty and powerful. He gives and He takes away. We are never in control of what happens in our lives. I wanted my dad around for as long as I still can have him. 

But it was his time.

I did not want my daughter, Nastassia to be a mom yet, but it happened. And I was not in control. And now I am a hot Grammy. Joke. 

One of the major changes I had to deal with during this pandemic is living without my dad.

We also lost our St. Bernard, Bella
during the lockdown. 

In addition, of course, just like most of us, I have learned what truly matters in life. Family, health, time, and basically doing good to people. Uulitin ko na naman. Kung mayroong masasayang sandali during this pandemic, it is the bonding moments with my G Skwad, lalo with Nix na nakasama namin for 10 months after 3 years! Then of course with my other three kids - Nastassia, Nadja, and Rocky na walang choice kundi mag-stay sa bahay. 

Looking at the positive side during the
lockdown: some quality family time with my
G Skwad. 

Isa pa sa natutuhan ko ang pagbibigay ng halaga sa health natin and how we should never take it for granted, lalo na ngayong may pandemya. Kaya alam n'yo, mga Nan-sis, when I have "overwhelming days," tapos ang feeling ko my whole world is falling apart (sounds exaggerated pero may days talaga na ganito), naiisip ko how blessed I am to be healthy at my young, tender age. Charot. 

And speaking of doing good, as many of you already know, April was when I started writing my blogs. And to date, believe it or not, it has been the most enjoyable and fulfilling part of my pandemic journey. 

Nastassia gave birth to Amara during 
the Covid pandemic: one of those
things I had to accept no matter how hard.

Magwa-one year na rin pala akong nagsusulat, sharing with you my journey as a singleD mom. And up to now, I have been receiving messages from singleD moms of how my blogs are inspiring them. Kaya nagtuloy-tuloy din ako sa pagshe-share at pagsusulat. 

Sharing my singleD journey with you  

has given meaning to the trials I went

through in life. 

It is my personal experience and opening up my heart and soul was not easy. In fact, after I wrote my first entry, hindi ko naman 'yun nai-publish agad. And when finally I found the strength, naiyak naman ako right after publishing it.  Sabi ng isa sa mga pinakamatalik kong kaibigan, na writer din at Palanca awardee (nang madaming beses), normal daw na maramdaman ko 'yun kasi nga it's never easy to bare one's heart and soul, 'yung mag-share ng mga bagay na galing pa sa kaibuturan ng iyong damdamin... nuks! Pero ginawa ko. At ginagawa ko pa rin. 

Why?

Kasi between finding it hard to share everytime I write, I think about my readers who will learn from my experience. Sayang naman ang mga pinagdaanan ko kung sasarilinin ko na lang. And I have often wondered, why am I going through these things when most of my friends are not? Why oh why? 

Read: https://nancydavidgalang.blogspot.com/2020/04/becomingsingled-6-2020-nancy-d.html?m=1

So na-realize ko, puwede naman i-share, at kung kahit may isa lang akong kaluluwa na matulungan, napakasaya ko na 'nun! Kaya nga kapag may natatanggap akong messages (tatawagin ko na lang na letters kasi mahahaba) at nagke-kuwento sila ng own experiences nila, how they were able to relate, and how my blogs helped them ---I find purpose and meaning in my writing. 

Kaya isa ang pagsusulat ko ng blogs ko sa what will fall under the category of my "doing good."

So push lang ako nang push, mga Nan-sis! And sana naman, madami na din kayong na-take away na life lessons from my blogs.

So while I am singleD,

I will make sure whatever I do is worth it. Alam n'yo naman, this pandemic has lessened my chances of winning the lotto in the dating game - haha. Bawal nga kasi mag-lakwatsa, mag-date, mag-socialize in person. So habang mag-isa at may oras magsulat dahil di naman busy sa lovelife, I will still be yours, trying my best to share more of my singleD journey, with more blog entries, during this Covid times.  

So, mga Nan-sis, even if we are still caught in the middle of fighting Covid, let us keep enjoying our time with our families. Let us also spend time with ourselves and do things that will make us happy (mahalin natin ang ating mga sarili), while making it a point to do good to others at all times. Of course, let us remain grateful, inspite and despite, because God always got us at the palm of His hands! 

Until then. Keep safe! Catch you later!

Nancy Mommy