St. Patrick’s Day has a new meaning in my household: One year ago, my husband joined me working from home. Our dining room became his office. Life felt scary, uncertain, and unfamiliar. Even with all the uncertainty, we expected that he’d be back to his office in a few short weeks and that life would return to normal. In retrospect, that was wishful thinking on our part. One year later, there is still uncertainty; now, however, we are filled with hope and optimism.
We’ve had a year of monitoring the status of cases, hospitalizations, recoveries, and deaths related to Covid-19. I’ve got a spreadsheet that tracks these stats so that when media, friends, and family report that numbers are going up or numbers are going down, I can see those numbers in context and focus on trends. Hysteria-producing headlines can easily result in heated discussions over these numbers – even when both parties agree about their meaning. Frustration and anger are common as we grapple with the lack of control we have over our lives.
We also experienced a contentious presidential election during this pandemic. The results were contested, the appeals were contested, a group stormed the US Capitol to stop confirmation of the vote that confirmed the election results. A nation so divided that some called this group patriots while others called them terrorists. The result: More fear and uncertainty. More anger and frustration. A time for reflection
And, yet, throughout all of this we have seen examples of kindness each and every day.
- Neighbors helping neighbors.
- Communities supporting local businesses.
- Teachers supporting students as young people cope with loss of direct connection to classmates, friends, teachers, and relatives.
- Businesses finding innovative ways to keep their doors: think about the restaurant industry – so many challenges, so many new ways to serve their customers!
- People working together to support friends and families as weddings were scheduled, rescheduled, scaled down, or postponed.
As I look back at this past year, I wonder:
- What will retail look like moving forward?
- How will the entertainment business reinvent itself?
- Will the Covid-19 vaccine work?
- Will the Covid-19 vaccine be an annual shot similar to the flu shot?
- How will young people rebound from the loneliness they’ve experienced?
- How will businesses look at conferences in the future – in person v. virtual?
As I look back at this past year, I am grateful for so much:
- My husband, my home, my health.
- Friends and family who stepped up their game in a big way to stay connected.
- I was able to strengthen some relationships with friends. We got creative with how we could stay in touch.
- Zoom. Yes, zoom. While may be experiencing zoom fatigue after a year, zoom kept us face-to-face with friends, family, and colleagues.
- Online fitness classes that kept me balanced.
- An opportunity to slow down, take stock of my life, and make adjustments.
As I look at life today, I am hopeful that:
- Whatever new normal we settle into, we will be more enlightened, thoughtful, and mindful.
- As we gain more control over our lives, anger and frustration will be replaced with even more kindness toward each other.
- The silver linings we have found will result in establishing new traditions, habits, and lifestyles.
I encourage you to set aside some time today to reflect over the past year.
- Can you identify any silver linings?
- What temporary and permanent changes have you made throughout the past year?
- Have your priorities changed?
- What will you remember most about this past year?
Take time to process all that you’ve experienced over the past year. Certainly, we’re reminded on the daily that we’re not finished with this pandemic; yet today, I choose to feel hopeful. I hope you have the same feeling.
Eight years ago, 
