WE WILL SURVIVE!

Sandra Mansfield Wright

It is now 2021 and although many went through a horrific 2020 – those of us reading this did survive. We may have bumps and bruises, or may have suffered grief and loss, but we are still here and hanging on. Encouragement and uplifting words mean even more to me now than before the pandemic, and hugs from my friends and loved ones even more precious. COVID did make me appreciate, notice and drink deeply of life.

In the COVID year of isolation I was blessed to have written two books and find now that I can get out and be busy with other things, I am having a difficult time getting into my writing as before. Maybe this is true for others as well – finding it hard to get back to normal (whatever normal may be.) This is a time when we may reflect on how we truly want to live our lives. Do we want to go back to normal? Things are supposedly back to normal, but normal is different for many of us, isn’t it? We find we don’t feel the same about normal any longer. This may be a good thing, because we will now appreciate and cherish our ordinary days more readily. Finding our normal lives again, when life has changed so much in the world, isn’t an easy matter.

The good thing is, we can grow, and change and help our lives be whatever we hope them to be. We can take the good things and expand on them and let go of the things which were unnecessary and hold less meaning for us. We may have found we could live with many less “things,” many less activities, going and doing, running hectically through life. Families had time together around the kitchen table, playing games together, eating meals and talking. We found time to talk and listen to our family members – those who are most precious to us. Outside distractions were limited. Maybe you would like to keep these good parts of isolation. It caused me to re-think my activities, and I found I even enjoyed being at home more.

How do we keep the things we want in our lives and not fall into the trap again of being swallowed up by the world around us – the constant pull of work, going, doing, planning, keeping up? Everyone has different needs and wants in their lives. There are chapters in each life, some are raising children, some working a stressful and demanding job, some are care-givers to someone in their family, some are retired, some are fighting health issues, some are struggling with heartache and problems, and on and on it goes. We live our lives as best we can, and I for one ask for God’s help daily. We each must make a conscious effort to get the life we want. We must choose wisely. There are things we will have to give up – we cannot have it all! We must make time for those who are a priority for us. What’s important to our life right now? Who is important? Make time for these. Will what we are spending our time on (people, things, our faith, our work) be important to us in five years, in ten years, in eternity?

The books I write are books of joy, hope and encouragement. Helping people, lifting them up as we all struggle to live as best we can is a goal of mine. I want to leave you with my favorite scripture:



“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Sandra Mansfield Wright, is the author of Gentleness, Strength, The Posture of Hope, Growing in Hope,365 Daily Gifts of Joy and Little Gifts of Joy.


After retiring from her career in real estate, Sandra Mansfield Wright became an "Interior Designer for the Heart".


She writes and speaks on the subject of joy and provides practical ways to bring joy more fully into the lives of her readers and listeners. Sandra lives near Memphis, TN,


Visit Sandra at sandramansfieldwright.com
for more information and to read her blog.