Could anything positive come out of a global pandemic?

Is it possible that we might experience something GOOD—something that only happens BECAUSE of COVID-19?

“Silver Linings” is the result of one woman’s quest to look for one positive thing, every day, during truly difficult times in everyone’s lives. What started as a whim soon became a challenge—a personal challenge that changed author Jill Stahl Tyler’s outlook. First published in the local paper, “Silver Linings” received accolades in her small town, and made Jill’s weekly trips to the grocery store much more fun.

This edition is the first month, beginning on April 17. Each day is unique. “Finding the positive is often difficult,” Jill notes, “especially as the international work I love shuts down.” But every day, Jill keeps looking for—and finding—a silver lining in the gray clouds of global pandemic.

As the negative news about COVID-19 keeps coming, is it even reasonable to ask if anything good could come out of this?

“Silver Linings” is the result of one woman’s quest to find and document that one good thing, every day. What started as a whim soon became a challenge. The challenge soon became a focus as her international business sees only cancellations and postponements.

As the daily notations start to pile up—and she posts more on Facebook and publishes more in the local paper—she heard from more readers. Knowing that others are now looking for their own “silver linings” encourages her (and is a silver lining in itself). This daily task becomes a focus for the author, especially as she watches her international business struggling more as the virus rages on.

This is May’s edition, and the rules for finding silver linings insist that each entry be different. Most importantly, it can’t just be “something good” that happened that day: it must be something good that happened because of the pandemic.

Summer. Just the word makes most think of carefree days and happy times. But it’s 2020, and the pandemic continues to change everything we do.

Can there be anything positive happening while all this negative stuff goes on?

June marks the third month of “Silver Linings”, the result of one woman’s search for something GOOD. She wanted to find something positive—something that would not have happened if there were no pandemic. She called it her “silver lining” for the day, a reminder that not all is black clouds of gloom.

In June’s edition of Silver Linings, the author watches as cancellations change something for every family member, taking away planned trips, internships, work engagements and sports opportunities. The insistent focus on looking for a silver lining is both easier and harder. What started as a personal challenge is quickly becoming a necessary way of thinking.

July brings new and different “hot spots”, and the death toll worldwide climbs higher.

Is it even a rational thing to look for “good things that happened… because of a pandemic”?

July is the fourth in the series of Silver Linings. It’s the result of one woman’s determined search for something GOOD, something that would not have happened if there were no pandemic.

After presidential proclamations in late June, the author finds the last remaining part of her international business closed. But, if she continues to look hard enough, the silver linings are still there. Plus, by now, people expect her to continue to find them anyway.

Concerns about the economy take center stage, with the presidential race and the politics of mask wearing becoming daily topics.  

Is there a silver lining in such a mess?

Silver Lining’s fifth edition is the month of August. It is the result of one woman’s search for something GOOD. She wanted to find something positive—something that would not have happened if there were no pandemic. She called it her silver lining for the day and has been documenting it daily since April 17.

The summer of 2020 has not been ordinary. She has avoided coming to terms with the implications of no international travel for the foreseeable future, choosing instead to fully embrace the joys of her favorite season. For a short reprieve, business thoughts can be shunted aside for an afternoon on a beach.

The phrase new normal seems to pop up in every situation. Schools everywhere find new ways to conduct classes. Parents struggle with the unknown.

What good has been caused by this pandemic at this point?

The month of September means month number six of Silver Linings. The process started in April, when one woman began looking for something good that happened-because of the pandemic. She has been documenting them since, grounding her as her international business of twenty-five years grinds to a complete halt.

As summer gives way to fall, Silver Linings in September finds the author at home instead of working with an international trade show. Embracing the deviation from normal, she enjoys being in New England during its most famous season.