Are We Back to (A New) Normal?
This past weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day, and for the first time in two years Daveen and I held a real party at our home. There were almost fifteen of us, eating, laughing, and sharing stories for five or six hours on a pleasant Sunday afternoon.
Our last two parties, planned before the beginning of the Pandemic, had to be cancelled. The first, a retirement party for a long-term and valued employee was scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2020. My 80th birthday bash, scheduled one week later, was also cancelled. Little did we know at the time that many parties and other social gatherings, would be “on hold” for a full two years.
So are we back to (a new) normal now?
I hope so, but there are no guarantees.
For me, the primary lesson from this experience is – and I repeat myself — there are no guarantees. We never know what tomorrow might, or might not, bring, which is why it’s vital to wring the most meaning and enjoyment out of life today.
Even though it’s not January 1st, I feel it’s an appropriate time for a resolution.
My resolution? Today counts. There are no throwaways. If it’s really important to me, I’ll do it today. (Unless a task with a closer deadline intervenes.)
Like many of us, I respond best to deadlines. I have many projects I realize I’ll never even begin, simply because I don’t have the incentive of a deadline.
Friends often ask me, “How is your writing going?”
I’m embarrassed to report that the only writing I consistently complete is my blog, as well as business letters that must be sent out immediately. My “Great American Novel” is still trapped in my subconscious, perhaps never to be released. Unless…
This is starting to seem like a pep talk to myself.
I hope it works.
I’ll let you know next week.
Alan