March 19, 2020
To my oldest child, Braeden, I’d like to share this with you - specifically you. I’ve posted the article for others to see and read, although I’m writing this as if it were you and me and only you and me. We are starting week 2 of “social distancing” and I know you’re pissed. Aren’t all of us in some way, shape, or form?
It is one of the best clichés…”you never know what life holds”. Well, let’s start with this – I never knew that we would be working from home together for a month (maybe more) and that our evenings would be filled with discussions about what “really” constitutes breaking the social distancing practice that we are currently applying in our lives.
I never knew that toilet paper, paper towels, chicken breasts, bread, and bottles of water would become the hot topic of the 2020 spring break season. I never knew how much I enjoyed popping out to a movie theater to see a quick flick. I never realized how much I could miss a 6am workout with some incredibly fun and engaging people, and I never knew how blessed we really are, until I read article after article about kids without breakfast and lunch, thousands of sick people, media coverage that is relentless in its inadvertent attempts to scare the shit out of everyone. The cliché has come to life, “we never knew what life holds”, did we?
You and your classmates (around the world) who are scheduled to graduate from high school this spring/summer are facing an unprecedented time (at least over the last 100 years) and living in a time of uncertainty and fragility could make many people crumble, but not you. I see you each day…so many of you and your friends – getting up, doing your thing, talking to each other, riding that mountain bike, walking that dog, Tik Tok (and more Tik Tok), crunching that homework, and through all of this you are growing and that growing is the beauty that you can’t see. You began asking about building tables, buying lumber, and working with your hands. You have found ways to get outside, safely, and maintain your energy and you are maintaining your focus through the most distracting of times.
You (and so many of your age-mates) have the right to choose to be pissed about what is happening. You have the right to be frustrated and dismayed about this pandemic we face. What’s pretty astonishing to me… through all of this – you’ve asked me how I’m doing more that I’ve asked you? Ironic, right? In a world where it’s assumed that the parent is to be looking after the child, I’ve experienced you looking after us. I can see a confidence in your stance and through your behaviors, I’m feeling stronger and stronger that we are all going to be okay through this “hiccup”. I trust in our friends, our family, our country, and in you and your generation. We will most definitely experience an impact from all of this shit, and one thing that lays comfortably around me…you are strong (and so are all of you in the class of 2020). Tears, emotions, shortness with your friends and family (all normal), because you are human and this is not easy or comfortable. To the graduating class of COVID-19, let life throw its futile attempt at kicking you down. You’re already showing all of us what it means to be resilient and that, too, is beauty that can’t be easily be seen.
Thank you, Braeden. I love you. Now…let’s plan for that exciting day when you can go back to school and get out of the damn house, so I can have my office room back! J
If you enjoy these posts – you might enjoy a copy of my book, “Happiness is Over There” – which is a personal memoir detailing the stories, learnings, and exercises I used to shift my life from dark and chaotic to a life of light and productivity. Through Paperclip Thinking LLC, I also support group and individual coaching sessions as well as book talks for groups of 15-20. You can buy a signed copy at www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com to arrange book delivery or set up coaching and group talks/sessions.