50+ Lifestyles

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

By Eloise Graham

To Survive 2020 You Must SMILE

This has been quite the year so far. If we knew in January what we know now, we may have just hibernated for a year or two.

Let’s list some of the challenges:

1. A new coronavirus, known as COVID 19, became a pandemic in mid-March.
2. Toilet paper was hoarded.
3. A hailstorm hit the Quad Cities on April 4th.
4. One in every five small businesses has closed completely, never to reopen because of the pandemic.
5. Retail and food service employees have been furloughed or let go completely.
6. Killer hornets invaded California.
7. Demonstrations turned violent and deadly.
8. Riots, lootings, and robberies in many cities.
9. Wild fires burned in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. 
10.  Thirty-plus tropical storms or hurricanes developed in the Atlantic Ocean. 1
11. Severe flooding and tornadoes as a result of these hurricanes.
12.  The Midwest was hit with its own “inland hurricane” called Derecho. Many trees ripped apart. Millions were without power for many days, if not weeks.
13. Crabgrass seems to be exceedingly plentiful this year. Some plants grew to 18 inches in diameter in only a couple of days. 
14. In September and October, it was almost impossible to sit out in the yard because of those little black biting bugs, the pirate gnats.

If 2020 was a slide.

So what is there to smile about? It has been said that laughter is the best medicine. We need to keep a sense of humor to keep our sanity. Many people on Facebook and other social media formats have shared cartoons and jokes to relieve some of the tension. One that comes to mind is, “If 2020 was a drink, what would it be?” Answer, “Colonoscopy prep.” Did that make you smile a little? Smiling and laughing releases natural endorphins in our system. Smiling relaxes, reduces stress. It also helps others.

Do you think others can’t see you smile while you are wearing a mask? Not so. Remember when your children were little and you were yelling at them in a harsh, no-nonsense voice? Then the phone would ring and your pleasant, smiling voice would answer. I have been told that you should always smile when talking on the phone. They can hear your smile!

Here are a few more jokes to relieve tension.

Day 156 at home and the dog is like, “See? This is why I chew the furniture.”

Nothing like relaxing on the couch after a long day of being tense on the couch.

Never thought that “I wouldn’t touch them with a six-foot pole” would become a national policy.

Ran out of toilet paper and started using lettuce leaves. Just the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow romaines to be seen.

My mom always told me I would not accomplish anything by lying in bed all day long. But look at me now, I am saving the world.

My grandchildren are so great at social distancing…they won’t even call me!

So just keep smiling. We will get through this together.