A Matter of Perspective

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. ~Jimmy Dean

Well, another year has come and gone. This one was certainly one for the record books.

As I was reviewing the articles, photos, and headlines from the past year for our annual Year in Review, I was amazed at how many stories of hope we had. In spite of all of the COVID-19 topics, mask-wearing, school and sports closures, toilet paper hoarding, and the like, we had hope. At least around here.

While our businesses struggled to remain open, many continued to do so at whatever level they were allowed.

While we had to deal with regulations and things that we may not have liked, we dealt with them.

When the schools shut down in March, we made the adjustments even if they weren’t ideal.

When the new school year began, we made the adjustments and dealt with the different learning models to make sure that the education of our young people continued.

We wore masks (well, some of us did anyway).

Some of us got COVID-19. Some of us died from it. Some of us got sicker than others. Some of us didn’t show symptoms at all. We dealt with all of it.

Some of us got laid off from our jobs. Some of us had reduced hours. Some people lost their jobs outright. Some of us were able to keep working. We dealt with whatever our situation was.

We were put in to stay at home orders. We dealt with it.

We saw things experience a reopening as the “dials” were adjusted. Then we saw the “dials” move backward as the numbers of positive tests, illnesses, and deaths grew at an alarming rate.

Now we have a vaccine. I guess we will deal with that, too.

The point of this is, as humans we are very resilient. We proved that we can handle changes and a lot of them. We can adjust our sails even though we can’t change the direction of the wind.

While some of us adjusted better than others, most of us came through 2020 with a greater skill-set than the one we went into the year with.

No matter what 2021 brings us, remember this: It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go. ~Jim Rohn.

May you have a happy and blessed New Year!