Ten Days, Ten Things No.10

We made it.

t's December 31st, 2020; New Year's Eve, and we're here. We made it. It's been a year filled with bumps and curves, but there have also been plenty of bright spots and things to celebrate. And while they might be little, ordinary things, these are the moments that matter the most.

We're ready for whatever 2021 will bring. The good, the bad; the highs, the lows. Good-bye 2020. Happy New Year.

There's no context for this picture that would attract a multitude of likes via social media, but that's the point. It makes me think of the Ferris Bueller quote, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

This is the tenth of ten days where I'm going to share one positive experience that I've had over the course of the year (2020). This year has been hard, no doubt, but it hasn't all been gloom and doom. There have been highlights. And when you are looking for positives, you start to find more of them.

I challenge you to come-up with your own list of things. Maybe it's not 10, maybe it's five, maybe it's three, or two, at least one. Look for the good. You'll find it; it's there. Sometimes you just have to seek it out.

Ten Days, Ten Things No.9

Sports weren't cancelled.

My son stays pretty busy participating in youth sports - football, basketball, and baseball. I also stay pretty busy helping coach all of those teams. I'm confident that he loves it; I know that I do.

We were finishing up our winter workouts for his baseball team and gearing-up to start the season when the pandemic hit. Like most things, our baseball season hit pause. We were unsure if there would be a baseball season. I doubted that it would happen. And as March turned to April and then April turned to May, it was becoming clear that my son was missing sports. Beyond the character traits and work habits that sports build, they also serve as physical, social, and mental outlets for the kids that participate.

Fortunately, in June, his baseball season started. And other than the delayed start, we were able to play the entire season without any problems. It was the first glimpse that we had of a return to normal, and it was great. Soon after the baseball season ended, we started flag football. We were also able to play the entire flag football season without any issues. Basketball hasn't been so seamless; there have been many bumps in the road (finding gym space where we are able to practice, having a deep enough rotation of players for games and tournaments, our Governor hitting the pause button on all youth athletics). Nonetheless, we're still playing basketball; it's been different, but we're playing.

This is the ninth of ten days where I'm going to share one positive experience that I've had over the course of the year (2020). This year has been hard, no doubt, but it hasn't all been gloom and doom. There have been highlights. And when you are looking for positives, you start to find more of them.

Ten Days, Ten Things No.8

School and Work.

My work is in a school. As an elementary school principal, I'm an educator and a leader. I enjoy the work that I do. Even in 2020, I enjoy the work that I do. It should be noted that I really enjoy the people that I am able to work with. Those two things are absolutely related.

Like most professions (and things), work has been different. It has been really weird, and it has been really hard. Fortunately, I am surrounded by exceptional colleagues and co-workers.

Our resilience has been pushed to the max. We've had to test our patience, our perspective, and our purpose. Although no one's fault, the lack of answers and direction is at times maddening; the plethora of new tools, platforms, and methods to learn is exhausting. The past nine months have been extremely uncomfortable. Yet, we're still here. Through the discomfort we are able to optimize our learning and our growth, and I am confident that as a result of this experience we will be stronger and better than we ever were before.

This is the eighth of ten days where I'm going to share one positive experience that I've had over the course of the year (2020). This year has been hard, no doubt, but it hasn't all been gloom and doom. There have been highlights. And when you are looking for positives, you start to find more of them.