As cities are slowing reopening, my two children have become incredibly anxious to get out of the house after being cooped up for so long. However, as a mother, I must be very cautious about where to go and avoid crowded places since we must all continue to practice social distancing.

It’s so strange how once you step outside your home, the beautiful, sunny weather almost makes you forget about the devastating pandemic that is still affecting the entire world. The optimist in me always wants to focus on the good, even during such unfortunate circumstances. While I recognize how horrible this pandemic has been, I’m grateful for the quality time I’ve been able to spend with my family at home. It has been a true blessing to have this opportunity to spend so much time with my kids.

I love taking my kids out in the evening to watch the sun going down. It reminds me of when I was a child, and my father would do the same with me. We’d enjoyed the sunset for about an hour and gaze at the starry sky once it got dark. These memories I have with my father have given me a strong desire to spend more time watching the sunset with the people I love. In the future, I hope that my kids will remember these happy moments and not just the difficult time spent in quarantine during this pandemic.

And if I could, I wish I could show this view to my father.

I hope that many of you will spend this Sunday with your loved ones and remember not to take a single moment for granted.

Stay grateful and give all the love you can.

Happy Father’s Day.