Oh, 2020.
What more can be said about this year that we all haven’t said at one point or another?
(I can tell you right now I’m counting down the MINUTES until we get to 2021!)
It was a rough one from start to finish, to put it in the simplest, nicest way possible. I don’t think any of us have ever experienced a year like this where so much of the negative overshadowed so much of the good.
And there was a LOT of good!
Closing out this god-awful year has given us a lot of time to reflect on how much good there actually was this year. Despite all of the terrible things that happened, we were able to find some silver linings in what was arguably the worst year ever.
Susan:
I got to spend time with my 92-year-old father and 84-year-old mother – more quality time than I have to date as an adult. They were mostly isolated in their home with the exception of coming to my house for dinner, which they did about twice a week. Not only did I develop better culinary skills, I also enjoyed having my parents feel comfortable enough to stay to watch the news and Jeopardy with me. I never would have known how special that time spent them would be. It’s the simplest thing – having dinner and watching a game show with them would be a silver lining.
Ali:
Despite the challenges, there have been many great things that have come out of this that I would not have experienced. First, my boys. We are often racing from one sporting event to another most weeknights, and this has allowed us to slow down. We have had to chance to eat family dinners together every night, and to just be together the 5 of us. That has been incredible, from board games, to movie nights, to cooking together, we have made so many special memories. When you have kids time flies, and when you have teenagers, you often feel like time speeds up. I am getting to spend time I would never have had with my son in high school who will be off to college in a few years. I am so grateful for that.
I love the way we appreciate the time we have with those we don’t get to see that often because of COVID. From zoom calls to drive by birthdays songs people have pulled together. I think we are all cherishing the time we get to spend with each other much more than we did before. You can take a lot for granted, and I think COVID has changed that. I don’t think we will ever again take for granted a Thanksgiving with grandparents, or a Christmas with brothers and sisters, or New Years with family and friends. Imagine the feeling we’ll have when we first step into a stadium to see a sports game or a concert – it’ll be fantastic!
Eryn:
-24/7 Howard time : )
-It was a great way to pause my hectic schedule and be able to reflect
-was able to focus more on my health and pick up new hobbies like running
-Made me rethink spending on frivolous things and really prioritize what is truly important
Colleen:
We were able to go on a family vacation before Covid hit in March.
I was able to spend more time with my husband and girls during the lockdown.
I came to value the little things in life we take for granted. Grocery stores, spending time with friends and eating in a restaurant. Life is precious and taking life a bit slower, made me realize how the “little things” mean so much.
Molly:
The biggest thing to happen to me in 2020 was buying my first house. The whole process started in early 2019 and came to an abrupt halt in March when the shut down first started. Real Estate had been put on hold, as did our hunt for a house. At one point, Real Estate opened but you weren’t allowed to have any in-person showings, so people were buying homes sight-unseen based off of listing photos online. We saw houses we loved come and go in mere hours as everyone scrambled to buy houses in the spring and early summer. Finally, restrictions were lifted and we were able to walk through houses again (practicing safety guidelines) and experienced firsthand what an insane market we were up against. Finally after several months and a few frustrated tears (and lots of ice cream…), we found a house and the sellers accepted our offer hours after we walked out their door. Crazy!
I also want to take back every single complaint I ever said about having too busy of a schedule in the winter. My husband and I are both Hershey Bears season ticket holders, so we were devastated when they canceled the rest of the 2019-2020 season in the spring and delayed the start of the 2020-2021 season this fall. Usually our schedules are jam packed with hockey games from October to April, so it’s definitely been a much quieter winter than we’re used to. The silver lining is that we were at least able to watch the 2019-2020 playoffs on tv so we didn’t miss out on the action, and I now have a much greater appreciation for freezing to death at the Giant Center a few months out of the year. GO BEARS!
Anita:
I rekindled my interest in sewing during 2020. After working in the costume shop in college, the only time I have sewed has been to make curtains or to fix minor issues. This year I greatly enjoyed making masks for family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. As the year went on, I greatly improved my sewing skills and made masks and other items as Christmas gifts this year.
While we’re more than ready to see this year come to a close, we are thankful for the new perspectives, extra family time, and new hobbies we gained out of 2020. It’s been one for the ages, but we’re excited for what 2021 holds for all of us.
We are also beyond grateful for all of the hard work our clients and consultants put into keeping the momentum going this year. Our work environments may have looked a little different this year (who would have ever imagined Zoom meetings in sweatpants with dogs barking in the background would be such a normal thing!) but we wouldn’t be where we are without each and every one of you!
Cheers to a happy and healthy 2021!
