Little joys and lots of learning

September 1, 2020

It’s Tuesday evening and I have just finished my evening routine. Dishes, make the coffee, wash my face, time to relax.. Relax for me is sitting down for about an hour or so and watching my favorite obsession “Living Below Zero”. If you haven’t watch this show.. now would be good. It’s about daily survival and isn’t that what we are doing after all? Well the stars of the show are doing that everyday near the Arctic Circle. So if you think we are having a rough time, these people give you a refresher in stop whining. Our favorite two are Sue and Agnes Hailstone (seriously could you have a better name and live in The Arctic?). Watch it.. I think you will love them too …..we are in season two.. that was after we finished GOT and Breaking Bad (I must confess I was sadder to see Breaking Bad end than GOT.) Enjoyed both immensely but the complexity of the characters on BB was much deeper and intriguing.

But I have learned to revel in the little joys, that is one way COVID-19 has changed us all. Some of my favorite joys come from newness, that means watching anyone do something or discover something new. Watching a wee one actually become enamored with the stars because the power went out and now you can see them. Finding out that a pre-teen is nearly TikTok famous and creative beyond your knowledge. Or maybe it’s a secret thrill in buying new slippers ( since we must be at home make it good!) Whatever your little joys are, I recommend you find them and savor every one. I live next door to a kindergartener who proclaimed after her first day at school ( she got 3 before it became e-learning) ” I loved that place!” That’s a simple joy. Or seeing my grandson run over to pet my dogs because “they can’t go a whole week without me” or maybe when a young man told his mom during the power outage ” I really like when we all sit outside and talk I hope we can do that when the power comes back on ” Those are the simple joys of which I speak.

This is a time of great learning. E-learning, homeschooling, new ways to do everything and frankly I don’t really hate most of it. In the end of this initial phase of the Pandemic we may find ourselves embracing the changes and it may just make us an even more mobile world. I mean just think about it, if E-work became more prevalent as an option to work would you do it? Now before you say no, because as humans we revert back to what we know.. It’s comfortable. Let’s dissect the positive side to this type of work. If I work remotely, I can do it anywhere and perhaps that also means it could improve attendance, good for the employer and provide a better balance for the multi-tasking worker and that could result in a happier, long term employee. So if you have a valuable worker, who needs to travel to another state to care for an elderly parent or sick child who can’t be moved, perhaps having the work move is a better solution. Same with schooling, perhaps having the latitude to make school more mobile and accessible could have similar benefits yes? Maybe those kids who struggle with conventional classrooms and the order of school might flourish in a more creative environment coupled with a variety of methods.

Now do not interpret my comments to mean that we should become a virtual world, not at all. I miss theatre, live music, sports, socializing with friends. There are obviously many occupations that simply cannot be done virtually, But wouldn’t it be nice to have options?

So that as a parent or an employer you can allow your employees/students/parents to choose the method of learning/working that best suits the needs of their individual lives. All while accomplishing the mission at hand..

Perhaps that kind of ownership in the world of work and school might produce a different improved caliber of employee/student, one who has a dog in the fight might work harder on their own terms. Maybe their creativity that cannot be harnessed in a systematic world can flourish and grow in a non-traditional option.

And if COVID-19 has given us nothing else positive it has pushed us to explore, create and adjust to NON TRADITIONAL. I mean seriously look how far we have come..

1. We order groceries and have them delivered or pick them up
2. We attend school on line and embrace tools like Google Me, Zoom, Teams.
3. We wear masks with little resistance or follow the guidelines of our individual part of the world.
4. We take walks and ride bikes
5. We have get together with friends ( Zoom parties are actually fun)
6. We travel (cautiously but unafraid)
7. We make a Dr. appt and actually don’t wait for hours…it seems more efficient to me.
8. We are actually more aware of our personal health and issues that make us vulnerable.
9. We have slowed down.
10. We have opened our minds to creative solutions.
11. We improvise, adapt overcome.

Change is hard but not always bad.

Until Next Time,

Jeany

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