🛍️ The Grocery Run That Taught Me Something Bigger

Reflecting on Five Years Since the Start of COVID 😷

Can you believe it’s been five years since the first COVID lockdowns began?

Five years since the world as we knew it shifted—suddenly, universally, and in ways we’re still uncovering.

For many of us, that time was filled with fear, grief, and uncertainty.

And yet, even in the midst of so much loss, we found connection. (I know I mastered the art of the park picnic to see my friends)

We found ways to adapt. (Zoom entered our collective consciousness, and work-from-home became the norm.)

And we told stories—to make sense of what was happening and hold on to what mattered.

Lately, I’ve been revisiting those stories—both the heavy ones and the delightfully silly ones that still make me laugh. And one of those stories starts with a grocery store run. 🛒💨

👇 WATCH MY FULL STORY HERE 👇

A Story from My First Trip to the Store in Lockdown

In April 2020, about five weeks into lockdown, I realized I had to go to the grocery store.

I had signed up for one of Airbnb’s new “Online Experiences”—a pasta-making Zoom class with two delightful Italian chefs, Luca and Lorenzo, I’d met years before in Florence. They sent over an ingredient list, and it was clear my neighborhood bodega just wasn’t going to cut it.

So I called my friend Katie. We donned DIY t-shirt masks, double gloved up, and ventured to Safeway. (Because the line for Trader Joe's was way too long.)

We stood in the line, six feet apart, eyeing the man in front of us who was definitely breaking the spacing rules.

I was supposed to buy a few essentials. But as we shopped, I felt this odd rush of joy just being surrounded by aisles and snacks again.

I walked out with seven kinds of cheese and two boxes of wine. 🍷

The next day, I joined my parents in Boston, friends across the country, and the chefs Zooming in from Florence to make ravioli together on Zoom.

We laughed. We swapped stories. We shared a meal.

It was the first time in weeks that things felt... normal again. 😮‍💨

What I didn’t know in that moment was how long the pandemic would last, that I’d lose my job at Airbnb a few months later, or that this experience would eventually lead me to the story coaching work I do today.

Looking back now, that story wasn’t really about pasta.

It’s a story about an ordinary grocery run and an unexpectedly joyful Zoom dinner party with people I loved across the world.

But it’s really about connection, comfort, and the human instinct to find rituals, laughter, and light—even when everything around us feels heavy and uncertain.

And you should care because you likely have stories like this, too. Moments that once seemed small or silly, but now—through time and reflection—reveal what truly mattered. These stories help us understand who we’ve been, how we coped, and how we want to move forward.

That’s the power of story. And that’s why I keep coming back to these memories—especially during milestones like this one.

Why I Believe in the Power of Reflecting on Your Stories

As a Story Coach, I always say: Your stories are more than memories.

They’re the lens through which you understand your past, live your present, and shape your future.

That’s why I created a tool to help you reflect on your own experiences during the early days of COVID—and everything that’s happened since.

Download Your Free Story Spark Worksheet

To honor this 5-year anniversary, I put together a free Story Spark Worksheet with 5 storytelling prompts designed to help you:

• Remember where you were before everything changed

• Revisit the silly and sacred moments that kept you grounded

• Acknowledge what you let go of—and what you learned

• Reflect on unexpected shifts in your life or values

• Celebrate how far you’ve come
  
  

Whether you journal alone or share with a friend, these prompts will help you see your story more clearly—and reconnect to what matters most.

Want to Share Your Story in Community?

I’m considering hosting a few Story Circles—safe, supportive spaces to share these stories aloud and hear others do the same.

If that sounds like something you'd love to be part of, let me know:

Your Story Matters

Whether it’s a grocery run, a Zoom dinner, or a quiet moment you’ve never shared with anyone—your experience holds power and meaning.

Taking time to revisit our stories helps us understand not just what happened, but how it changed us. It can bring clarity, healing, and even direction. And when we speak our stories aloud or write them down, we begin to see the threads that connect us all.

So take a moment this week to reflect. Use the worksheet. Share a memory with someone you trust. Or simply sit with what’s come up.

And when you’re ready, start telling your story. It matters—more than you know.

If one of your stories came to mind while reading this, I’d love to hear it. Drop it in the comments or email me directly through my contact form. I’m truly honored every time someone shares a piece of their story with me.