My three children, their spouses, and now my two grandchildren, have chosen to take part in a myriad of activities. They’re athletes, musicians, singers, dancers, thespians, and orators. I’ve attended many events, and while there have been numerous others participating, I focused on the members of my family. I wanted them to do their best no matter what activity they chose. They’ve taken different paths to achieve their unique goals.
Currently, there is little “to watch”. Sutton and BZ have given three live “driveway concerts” from their new home in California, and I have enjoyed them. They are learning to love their new neighborhood in spite of the latest restrictions, and perhaps, because of them.
Sutton landed a job as a salesman for Hamilton Meats when they returned to California last fall. He was having great success building a network of retail clients and then the pandemic hit. Hamilton’s on-line presence boomed so Sutton, and his sales counterparts, were called into the processing plant to help cut and wrap meat for shipment. He’s learning new skills, becoming more fluent in Spanish, and has engaged in more physical labor than at any other point in his career.
Elizabeth has returned to work for Hospice. She’s counseling families at the most stressful point in their lives. Her extensive training, and work experience, makes her the right person, in the right place, at the right time. She’s working remotely because no one is allowed to visit anyone. Her efforts are helping make a miserable life event more bearable.
In Michigan, David and his family are living separate lives. David is in Hamilton making sure that school is running as smoothly as possible. His staff started delivering meals to children’s homes via bus routes the first week of the closure. Since then his teachers began providing on-line learning and differentiated instruction. This has been a dream of his for many years, and now the current health crisis requires it.
His leadership team developed on-line training for members of his support staff. Cooks, bus drivers, teacher aides, custodians, and office personnel have become mentors to students. Each one is making weekly calls to assigned students and providing support to the instruction provided by the teaching staff.
Just prior to the closure, Lindsay received a promotion within the Nestle organization. She’s working remotely from their cottage in northern Michigan. She’s hiring staff, developing plans to work with her new clients, making sure products are delivered in a timely manner, and watching over her own two students, Eva and Brady.
Eva and Brady are accessing their teachers from a couple hundred miles away. They are completing daily assignments, weekly tasks, working on long term projects and following a strict, self-supervised, schedule with minimal oversight from their mom. They are bright kids who’ll do whatever is required.
Mike and Kate are sheltering in place in Irvine, California. Kate is continuing her work selling research for a company headquartered in Chicago. She’s the west coast’s leading lady. Normally, she would be hopping on airplanes to meet with clients, attend workshops, conferences, and trade shows. All travel has stopped. She’s continuing to serve her clients from her dining room table.
Mike also received a promotion just prior to the pandemic. He’s Operations Director for the restaurant chain, Sizzler. He’s responsible for all programs and procedures throughout the company. They have sixteen company owned locations and over a hundred and fifty franchisees.
The closing of all restaurants throughout California has changed his role dramatically. The staff has been cut down to fewer than a dozen people. He’s taken on “other duties as assigned” and tackled them all with compassion for those who are currently furloughed. Things are constantly changing, and he’s looked upon each challenge as a new opportunity.
None of the aforementioned eight asked for their current lot in life. They, like you, wish that things were normal. But they’re not. They’ve taken on new responsibilities, adjusted to working remotely or in unfamiliar locations, and done it all without a complaint or “woe is me” outlook.
If I was any prouder, I’d be twins. I would have expected nothing less.