If I’ve learned one thing from the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s that I take a lot of things for granted.

Like toilet paper.

And fully stocked grocery stores.

And time in my house—ALONE—when my kids were at school.

And maybe like me, you miss these things too, among many others, like haircuts, or nail salons, even a regular routine.

But as this pandemic has unfolded, I’ve heard messages on social media and the news like, “These are truly hard times” and, “We’ll get through this”. And while I understand these times are different and harder than usual, I have to be careful I don’t give too much weight to how “hard” these times really are, at least for me.

I started watching the national nightly news a few years ago. And since I don’t struggle with anxiety—unlike many people I know who do and, understandably, can’t watch the news, especially the current coverage of the coronavirus—seeing these broadcasts keep me up to date with world events. The national and international crises that play out each evening on my screen are often sobering, but these stories expose me to people and situations I forget exist or don’t know are there.

As a result of watching the news during this pandemic, I have seen the struggles of people who are in a much more troublesome position than I am. And so, I’ve decided to think twice before I say this crisis is “hard” on me, as I’ve come to a place where I’m redefining the word.

“Hard” during the coronavirus, looks a lot more like this:

When your kids are enrolled in the free breakfast and lunch program at school. And though every school in my city continues to provide this free service even with schools closed, hard is when you have to leave for work at 5am, and there is no bus service to get your children to the free food being offered.

Hard is being the nurse in New York City where the reported Coronavirus cases are over 15,000 (at the time of writing) and doubling every two days. And so you send your three kids away to your mom’s house, seeing them only by video for weeks, hoping they don’t get the virus in the event you catch it. And then you do.

Hard is when “shelter in place” is issued and you’re a single parent, living paycheck to paycheck, and now your place of employment is closed until further notice.

Hard is now having to give birth alone in some of our country’s hospitals, because your spouse isn’t allowed in the birthing room in order to minimize exposure.

Hard is not owning a single laptop, when online school learning starts next week. And what’s even harder is living in an economically challenged school district that can’t provide a laptop for you.

But “hard” is not being low on toilet paper.

Hard is not closed gyms.

Hard is not having my kids at home while the schools are shut down, even if they are driving me nuts.

These things are inconvenient, and often very tiresome, but they are far from the hard my neighbors are experiencing. And when these people are out of sight and out of mind, I can easily wallow in my own self-pity.

So as I keep up with the news, I observe what’s really going on in our world, I see those who are suffering, and I am reminded that my situation is not nearly as hard as I’ve convinced myself that it is.

Because perspective should always make me grateful.

And if I choose to take advantage of this extra time I have with my kids, I’ll teach them this “attitude of gratitude” lesson I’m learning. Then one day, as I continue to embrace these teachable moments, hopefully my boys will mature into the grateful young men I’ve envisioned them becoming. And wouldn’t our world be all the better with a few more grateful people.