Has anyone else thought about a positive aspect of shutting everything down the way it has been over the last few weeks? For me, I can’t help but think of relationships, family, and friends. A life of excellence is surrounded by great relationships. For families that live together in this age of busyness, they pass by each other so often on the way from doing one task to the next. This especially becomes prevalent when children are brought into the picture. Marriages can resemble business partnerships with only agreements and scheduling instead of being vibrant and healthy. All of a sudden, things have slowed down now. The pace of life is vastly different now than it was at the start of this year. People have an unprecedented chance to work on their relationships, both in the home and elsewhere.

Many people I’ve heard are staying confined in their homes, isolated from everyone else. Lately, all the restaurants have been takeout orders only. The stores that were overrun and emptied of groceries are slowly being replenished. Many people are choosing not to visit anyone, preferring to minimize risk by not being around others. For the average household, this means that whoever lives inside has an opportunity. People are craving the personal attention that comes from being around others. Right now, families can take advantage of this time to talk with each other and interact. Many are playing games or watching movies together. So much time has been made available to everyone by being cooped up together.

But the borders of a home do not have to limit our ability to reach out to family and friends who do not live with us. Technology has given us a means of communicating with each other like never before. Pick a platform, there are so many. With an internet connection or data from a phone network, we are able to call all over the country. Video chats are already hugely popular due to the apps made available on phones. We can easily get in touch with a substantial percentage of people that we know. One thing I’ve started doing during this is scrolling through my contacts and picking one person every day to call. I have been pleasantly surprised by the reactions that I’ve gotten in return.

The real question is, are we making use of this time? Are we using it to strengthen our relationships, both inside the home and outside? Are we building each other up with encouragement? What is said is just as important as reaching out. If all you are doing is spreading more panic and fear, people do not need that. Let people know you are thinking about them and that you love them. Be the voice they hear that stands out from the rest, the one that assures them they will get through this.