What a great question to toss around. And it might evolve and be worth addressing again when the whole disaster is all done and over with...whenever that may be.

I'd say that it has reassured me in many ways that the warnings for people to have minimum 3 months savings for everyday living saved up rings true. Who would have thought that in a household of two working incomes the statistical chance of both ending at the same time for an unknown period though small...had become a reality. We lucked out, but for a couple weeks it was a very real possibility. What we put to the side burner as improbable suddenly became very possible. That now has taught me even more so to prepare for the unexpected...as the unexpected came to fruition. Financial security is one of the fundamentals this pandemic has taught me.

It's also shown me some of the very best in society. Many coming together to help out, companies retooling equipment to join the fight and provide scarce materials/equipment, and many share their supplies and abilities to help the less fortunate. For the most part Ontarians are working together...social distancing, protecting themselves and others and working as a society for the betterment of all of us. Perfect...definitely not...but it could have been a lot worse. I suppose it can still get worse too. But seeing how industry, and government can work, down to each of us in our own way can add to a cumulative good...is encouraging.

It has also shown the worst of society....those who spread partisan opinion and rhetoric in social media, confuse and dilute the message from health authorities whilst having no expertise in the field themselves. Originally relegated to the role of "loud mouth in the coffee shop everyone rolled their eyes at", they can often be found online spouting off now...with a far greater reach of listeners. And then there are those who fall into the trap of FOMO...(Fear of missing out) and in turn the absurd run for things like Toilet paper... Both of these types of people can be dangerous...the first in my opinion even more so. As people who would typically trust and listen to the best advise from health experts are confused by the loudest voice spouting fringe or incomplete information. This weighs heavily on my mind. It just takes one....

Personal preparedness....I guess you can never have enough of the basics. While generators, and long term food storage are staples in a preppers house...I could have had more things like hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, etc. Whether for myself or family or extended family.

It has also taught me that some things you just need to live through to get the experience. Meal planning and minimizing going out shopping, how to deal with "cabin fever" of being cooped up at home for days at a time....all these little things that unless we live through it, are really not things one can totally prepare for.

So far, the biggest thing it taught me..

Even though I took the time weeks ahead of "the annoucments" to book a visit in with each of the "people" in the circle.. that much to my utter surprise, two households.. really didn't hear it.. So when they said.. this or that.. and I went but I gave you full heads up, laid it out, explained it in detail when everything is available and you still didn't act?

kay..

On the flip side, three other friends/families reached out early and went, please we can see the writing on the wall, help us get ready and asked good questions and listened and prepared.. Proud of them..

That so far is the biggest thing I have learned You will never know how people will react until its time to act.. period.

It confirmed that there are usually some “indicators” that something is about to happen. As soon as there were announcements that the virus had gotten out of China and that travel was still permitted, I’ve topped up the food pantry. Not panic buying nor hoarding, but made sure that we would be comfortable (vs surviving) for a solid 3 months without having to do a trip to a grocery store if needs be.

It taught me I was wrong not to have taken this serious back in January, even well into Feb I was still thinking that surely this can be contained like the others before it.

Once more reinforced the need to remember what you have learnt and put in place what One knows to be true.

I knew I should have beefed up gardening and really regret that and perhaps solar. Solar was a big investment and I shied off on it for that reason. Gardening was in part health issues over past few years and also laziness.

Take away is get even more serious.

This has also shown me that I am well set up, in that my living costs have dropped dramatically as I am not going to the big city anymore. Gas was my single biggest living expense. Also quality of life is better, it sounds crazy but I don't miss the endless buzz of planes overhead, or the incessant background noise of traffic, even out here in the middle of nowhere, motorcycles or cars/trucks often with loud pipes that can be heard 5km away. I don't miss that stuff, and I much prefer the sounds of nature anyway and I swear the air is getting better, If this is economic collapse... more please!

It has taught me that no matter how much of great Prepper you think you are 🙄 ...there are always some points in your prepping that needed improvement. I have considered this time a wonderful opportunity to find those holes and fill them!
This moment in time has opened the eyes of friends and family to the prepping idea. When normally this particular group were hugely not interested in even discussing the benefits of prepping. I see that as a plus if it wakes up the sleeping masses.
I don't have a case of the "I told ya so's". Its more of a "wow, they finally got it!!"
And...I found myself getting frustrated at the laxidaisy attitude about this pandemic early on. Having heated discussions on the importance of protection when others were still saying it was "nothing"! Much like the spring breakers on the videos many folk are amazed at. I shouldn't have bothered getting my feathers ruffled by others opinions...I should have just let them have their opinion and take care of my own stuff but I have an elderly mother in my home and found folk being oblivious to staying calmly safe in a situation like this. Again, it's people that make this whole thing scary!
You're a lucky bugger Peppercorn...were considered essential service-so we are both still having to travel to the city.
Stay safe guys!!!!

Its shown me the strengths and weakness in being rural.. I love living rural and I have some amazing people around me.. but I also have some folks that live rural because "they chaf" at the rules and so they come out to have more "freedom" and that means that in times like right now.. they are flippin idjits and then some..

I am making a list and checking it twice..

So far, the biggest thing this pandemic has taught me is to be much less wasteful.

A month ago, it wasn’t a big thing to leave the celery in the plastic package and if some of it went limp and spotty before I could use it, it’d just go in the compost. Now, I’m using more of the tops and bottoms of vegetables all of the time. Leftovers are always repurposed into another meal, whether I like it or not. I haven’t thrown away hardly anything fruit or veggie-wise in weeks. I’m wishing I had room for a much bigger garden.

It’s amazing how much more I appreciate food now that I might not have enough of it!

I believe we are not going to recover from this for at least a decade. Reminding myself to be frugal and judicious about what I buy (food or otherwise) will serve me well moving forward.

Hope everyone is safe and healthy.

Per Peaks below, certainly wasting less and hope I remember this new lesson

I can use my version of an insta-pot as a sterilization enclave. Put a bit of water on the bottom, put the rack in, put in one mask at a time, set it on high temperature for 10 minutes. It works for anything small like medical instruments, etc.

Overall desire to have had more food. Was/ am pretty good but still feel like I should of had more.

The importance of having contacts or sources within the community and while I have a good number, I will look to quietly seeking out more, they won’t fully understand why I am reaching out but it will be a reciprocal benefit, even if they don’t fully understand it now.

The importance of not doubting oneself. This is something that I found hard to fight. While I knew for a fact our vulnerabilities and I did reasonably prepare for most issues, I did hold off on this or that purchase. Money is or for me anyways an issue and so I held back on a nice big greenhouse and a kick ass solar system and maybe a good number of chickens. The little bird on the shoulder telling me to lighten up, you have done a reasonable job and don’t go overboard along with being retired, needing to watch finances and health did influence me. Are we in decent shape, hell ya but not what I really would in my opinion want as a real good setup for a rural location. Have land for crops, water, trees for wood... but just missing a few extra items. BUTTTTT we or I shouldn’t be to hard on ourselves either. From the posts, it appears many of us are in either near perfect setups or well on our way to a more independent life and that is something we need to remind ourselves of. Can’t beat ourselves up to much for what we didn’t do, we have lives, health ( financial and physical), family obligations, resale value of home considerations....

As we move forward and learn from this, speaking for myself, I need to analyze my situation and tweak things where I can but never lose sight of being able to fully manage what I have and not over extend myself either physically or financially.

Have a hunch that when there’s a little letup, that many will go out to store and go nuts with stuff and not think about how to store, maximize investment, buy that far out of the way property that they will likely grow tired of commuting to in a year and sell at a loss a year later ( good for others but not good for them).

Lots to keep learning and focus is now on the garden

I was good on food storage before this, I could have gone a year and more without losing weight, but now at the rate I am storing goods, I suspect I will be able to go 3 years and more without losing weight by the end of this year. Nothing like seeing the supply lines "shaken" to make a person up their game. I notice a few people around me taking things a little more serious now.

Here is a disturbing news article, well, not for me, I have beer security but for others.... https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ethanol-beer/beer-may-lose-its-fizz-as-co2-supplies-go-flat-during-pandemic-idUSKBN2200G3