Opus Dei: An Opportunity for Families

Jack and his family live in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. He gives some tips on how they have been coping with the lockdown, which has been a great opportunity to grow as a family

Jack and his family

The world has been afflicted with so much woe from this COVID-19 pandemic that it seems almost churlish to recognize the occasional ray of light among the gloom. But I would like to talk about one such ray here, a spark of light at this dark time.

One of the consequences of school closure and many workplaces shifting to the home-based work mode is that families are spending much more time together than the norm. The time recouped from work and school commutes and a hundred other demands on us of movement from place to place is now available as an opportunity for family flourishing. I share a few ideas on how this time can be used.

Family get-togethers after meals

Family get-togethers extend family interaction after meals. It is a time for sharing family stories and general conversation. This is a custom that has always been tough to adopt in our family but it is having a renaissance during this lockdown. Many creative people have come up with quizzes and fun games which are going around the internet. We have found these handy for get-togethers. The main point is that family members can share portions of their life, sometimes for the first time, with guaranteed attention from the rest. The lockdown has been on for some months now where we live but we have already had a dance presentation by our daughter. And amazingly, I have even considered leading a song!  …