For the past few months, the Covid-19 Pandemic grabbed headlines nationwide. Everyday life was placed on hold, including here in north Alabama, while health officials figured out with the specifics of this invisible enemy and its effects.

I was laid off from my job at the dental lab because many dentists were shutting their offices, resulting in a lack of work. As a result, I had a lot of time on my hands.

At first, I was not happy that I was out of work. Rather than feel sorry for myself, or obsessing over different conspiracies floating around Facebook and the internet, I used the furlough to get some projects done that I put off for a while.

As a writer, I am sometimes responsible for shooting images to help accompany my story. My goal was to learn the different features available on my camera and how to use them to take better photographs. Between tutorials on YouTube and Nikon offering free online photography classes, I learned how to take photos using different modes on my camera and the fundamentals of photography.

Another accomplishment I preformed was doing some spring cleaning around my mom's house. Between the two of us, we got rid of a lot of excess junk in the pantry, bathroom, refrigerator, and closets. As a kid, I wouldn't say I liked cleaning my room. But as an adult, it was nice tidying up my bedroom and getting rid of excess things while listening to podcasts.

One silver lining about the pandemic occurring in the spring rather than the dead of winter was the pleasant weather here in Alabama for much of late March and April. Since the gym was closed, I took many long walks around my neighborhood. Surprisingly, I even lost a few pounds due to the extra time I could devote to exercise.

The excess time also allowed me to spend more time doing quiet activities such as praying, meditating, and reading. I was able to complete a New York Times best-selling book titled "1,000 Places To See In The U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die ". I learned from author Patricia Shultz's work exciting facts about places I never knew existed.

Another good thing about the pandemic was the bonding I experienced with my mom by putting together a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle of Route 66. Putting it together was a challenge and could only be done if one was not in a hurry.

Although I could not see my friends in person, I was able to talk with them on the phone. I also participated in my church's small group via Zoom where we chatted about how our week went.

I am happy to report that I am now back at the dental lab running work in the mornings and working on the employee newsletter.  The time off was fantastic as society slowed down and gave my sensory issues a nice respite from the chaos that often accompanies modern life.

This post is not to brag. I know many dealing with a disability faced unpleasant challenges during the shutdown. I just wanted to offer how I turned a negative experience into a positive one.

I hope that Tennessee Valley Unite helped you not face your problems alone for those who experienced issues with the disruption to daily life. Hopefully, the shutdown helped non-disabled people feel what it is like for disabled people to live isolated all the time and be kinder to them in the future.

How did you and your family handle the restrictions caused by Covid-19? Comment in the section below.