It has been a while since I have written and shared some personal thoughts with you. I wanted to take this time to reach out, reconnect and check in with everyone.
As you are well aware, the past eighteen months have been challenging. If we reflect on all the craziness, the magnitude of COVID 19’s impact on our lives is almost overwhelming. And yet, we persevere and, in some ways thrive. I am in awe of our resilience and ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. I pray that you and your family can enjoy significant parts of the new normal we all find ourselves in.
I am happy to share that our staff and their families are healthy. We did have a few positive COVID tests last year even with all the precautions we were taking at the office, but fortunately, our families stayed healthy while they cared for us. It did certainly make for a tough Thanksgiving with only Marci and I and our three boys eating in the garage at three different tables – the first time in my 55 years that I was unable to spend Thanksgiving with my mother and siblings.
With all of life’s challenges, there are the blessings, big and small. I am sorry to say there were days when I found myself complaining about life, the canceled event we could not attend and the months without seeing so many important people. I often failed to be grateful for all the good in my life. So many people were and continue to be severely challenged, losing family members and facing tremendous financial struggles. Our sincerest prayers are with any of you still embattled by this pandemic.
I continue to grow while refocusing my definition of what is truly important to me. I shared with many of you when you asked how things are going that my family was healthy, and we can figure the rest of this out as we go along. As a result, I am now more intentional with my time, I am trying to reduce stress for myself and those around me and I am learning to cultivate gratitude throughout my days.
I look forward to seeing everyone as business begins to normalize again, whatever that looks like going forward. For me, to once again enjoy family and friends, to laugh and share, to hug and shake hands, is nothing short of awesome.
This past weekend, my youngest son Paul turned 16. We celebrated with both my and Marci’s family at our house – pizza, salad, cake and ice cream. We kept things simple – we celebrated not only Paul but just being together. We caught up with one another’s lives, played corn hole and savored the company. Like many of you, it was the first time in the past 18 months that we had both sides of our family together, and we appreciated it like never before.
I wish everyone the best mental and physical health in the coming months, for yourselves and all those dear to you. Remember to not sweat the small stuff, fight to keep the big picture in view and take time for gratitude.
