HEALTH

Live Mic: Find your silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic

Being home to experience baby Pyper's first bite of solid food is the silver lining to Lee Lonsberry's pandemic cloud. Photo: Jessica Lonsberry

This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

SALT LAKE CITY — This dark cloud called the coronavirus pandemic has a silver lining. You have one and I have one. If you haven’t discovered yours, just keep on searching; it’s out there or in there.

Because I have been  working from my guest bedroom for weeks, I’ve come to miss all my coworkers at KSL.

But if I had been working in the KSL broadcast studio, instead of at home, I would have probably missed out on this:

My 6-month-old daughter, Pyper, has been only breastfed until Friday. Now it’s time for solid food.

Baby milestones I would’ve missed

My wife, Jessica, and I plopped Pyper into her new baby seat and buckled her in.

We mixed up milk and rice. I made an airplane sound. Pyper opened her mouth, and I fed her a spoonful.

Pyper was not a fan, as you can clearly see here:

Looks like she just bit into a lemon.

I’ve read that this solid-food training for babies is a process. So I guess I shouldn’t expect her to chow down solid food on Day One.

But I would have missed that magical moment to be sure if I had been busy at work in the studio broadcasting my show. So that’s my silver lining, my break in the dark clouds, my positive bright side to the coronavirus crisis.

Finding your pandemic silver lining

However, I am not saying I’m content with this global lockdown. I’m not. This will not be the New Normal.

I want to go to a Jazz game. To be at a concert. I want to shake my friend’s hand — no more of this elbow bumping. And all that life stuff from before this crisis began can’t happen fast enough.

Seek and find yours

What’s your pandemic silver lining? Here’s a few suggestions that might get you to start thinking in this way:

Fewer drivers = fewer accidents

Schools closed = more time with family

Also – Schools closed = sidewalk chalk art

Dad’s working from home = more time with family

Mom’s working from home = more time with family

Gym closed = more walking in the park or around the neighborhood to view chalk art

Stay home, stay safe and find your pandemic silver lining. You’ll be glad you did.

Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry can be heard weekdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app