When I looked back at the things that I bought in quarantine they all made perfect sense to me. We were either buying things to keep us safe, provide entertainment, or provide therapy!
Things that I bought that I did not detail in the video include all the many flowers, vegetables, and bulbs for the garden. I was at the nursery A LOT during quarantine. It was a kind of therapy, just to visit the possibilities at the nursery. Sometimes I would go simply to walk around, even though I wasn't going to buy anything.
But another telling detail of 2020, was the things that I did NOT buy. For example, as I said in the video, I didn't buy one piece of clothing in 2020. This is unusual for me, though I know it may not be for everyone. I like to dress nicely in the workplace, with a suit jacket, and slacks but with classes going online, and then my June retirement, I now spend every day in jeans and a JCrew t-shirt with an over fleece and tennis shoes. I also didn't buy any jewelry, or make-up, or china. That was the strangest thing of all. I do love china.
But because I could not see any entertaining in our near future, and because I already have so much beautiful dinnerware, it became really clear to me that buying more china, was a ridiculous extravagance. No more estate sales for me. Ugh. I have had to resort to identifying the crystal and china patterns that I see in period dramas in order to expand my virtual china collection!
Also, because we didn't travel anywhere, I didn't buy any travel momentos, or souvenirs from fun places that I would normally either hang on the Christmas Tree, pop on the mantle, or display on our bookshelves.
The funny thing is...I haven't missed buying any of these things, which quite surprised me.
2020 has provided a perspective that will change the way we think about living, about what we need, and what we don't.
So, even though I'm looking forward to putting 2020 behind us, it did provide the opportunity to rethink and refresh the way that we view our world. Yes, despite all the challenges, perhaps the greatest gift of 2020 was providing us with the perspective of what matters most.