Finding reasons to be cheerful…

I haven’t written much in the last few weeks. Honestly it’s been difficult. I was going to write an article about how enormously hard it’s been to find inspiration but that’s probably obvious. COVID has continued to hang over everyone’s head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles. The count has been lower lately in South Texas, but I’m sure an upturn is coming. I’ve watched as friends and clients struggle to keep their businesses going, despite all the uncertainty. As if that wasn’t enough, the Election That Never Ends is the latest of 2020’s joys. Not that it isn’t over, because it is. Some people just haven’t let go of it yet… Anyway, I’m not here to talk politics. I’m just saying that we didn’t need all that stress and chaos on top of the stress and chaos we already had piled upon us. The other day I got to thinking about David Byrne, musical genius formerly of the Talking Heads and creator of the website, Reasons to be Cheerful. I found that website several months ago. David reasoned that now more than ever the world needed reasons to be optimistic so he created a site that spotlights exactly what you would expect, reasons to be cheerful. Spots of light in the darkness. It’s been a good website to read before I go to bed at night. I was originally going to write an article based on the lyrics to the Talking Head’s song “Life During Wartime”, because honestly that’s what I feel like, dealing with all the never ending chaos that has been thrown at us everyday. However, I decided that it didn’t feel right. It seemed like doing that would put a negative spin on everything. And yes, this has been a difficult year and the chaos is overwhelming, but what good would it do for me to write an article dwelling on it? Screw this year, you guys know it’s been difficult. We all do. Instead, I decided to highlight some good things that happened in my personal life over the past year. Some of my own “Reasons to be Cheerful”, so to speak. 

One year ago, our lives were thrown into turmoil. My wife had been offered a position with the National Weather Service. So that was that, our Wichita adventure had come to an end. Only it hadn’t just yet. The next three months were spent mostly in some kind of limbo., the wheels of the Government spin slowly after all. It would be January before we would know when we were leaving. So we mostly floated through the holiday season, hanging out with friends, visiting favorite places, and trying not to let our nerves devour us. Long story short, we finally got marching orders in January and we packed up the moving truck, chiseled the ice off the windshield and left Wichita, our home for the past five years, to start our second ever cross country move. The first move, from Charlotte NC to Wichita KS had happened five and a half years prior and was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. I’ve always found it funny that I basically lived in the same region for the first forty two years of my life, but since 2014, I’ve moved across the country twice. Anyway, this move was not nearly as hard as the previous, mostly because we had three months to plan it, unlike the previous move when we only had three weeks. We left Wichita on a Saturday afternoon with the wind blowing and the high temperature of twenty four. Sunday evening at 9:30pm we pulled into Brownsville and the temperature was humid and sixty eight. After a few weeks the nerves wore off and we began enjoying our new “near the coast” life. We didn’t have much time to soak it in though because soon thereafter we would be put in lockdown due to the escalating cases of COVID. Next thing I knew, my wife and I were getting used to her also working from home. It was a bit of a struggle and took some getting used to, but I think we made it through fine. Eventually her exile was lifted and she was allowed back in office. My point is, as stressful as the move was, it was an amazing opportunity that completely changed, and still is changing, our lives for the better. 

Normally when I move to a new community, I busy myself meeting people and establishing relationships, both business and personal in my new home town. Suddenly with the lockdown, I found myself unable to go out and make the kind of connections I’m used to. I’m still struggling to do it, if I’m being honest. It’s hard to go in a store and talk to the owner when everyone is wearing mask. Not that I’m knocking it. Wear your mask and keep your distance. And wash your hands. Why are we having to teach people basic hygiene? Didn’t they learn this in school?? It’s also hard to try to sell someone a website or marketing when they are barely making enough to keep the doors open. Anyway, the point is that I have found myself somewhat more isolated than normal. No going to the library or coffeeshop to work, no stopping by to visit with clients. I would lie if I said it didn’t make me a little nuttier than usual. Once again though, it hasn’t been necessarily for the worst. Keeping my options limited may have made me feel isolated, but it helped me focus on what was important. With no distractions, I completed an insane number of projects earlier this year. Also this summer I finally finished my first novel. It hasn’t come out yet as I’m still editing it, but it should be out early next year. In the meantime I’ve also written a short story and a recorded new music. All things that may have been pushed to the back burner if I was preoccupied with going out and checking out new restaurants and such. 

I think everything we’ve been through this year has taught me patience, both with others and myself, as we all figure out these new realities that we face. My wife and I have grown closer in our relationship too, learning to rely on each other and work together in ways we never have, despite having been together for almost sixteen years. Yes this year has been hard. I know friends who have lost parents, people who have lost coworkers, many who have lost their jobs and livelihoods. However, I think we have to look at the generosity we’ve seen from others, the way communities have banded together to support each other during this trying time and find hope. It’s been a difficult and trying year, and it may get harder before it gets better. But I can still find light in the darkness and hope among all the chaos and that is a reason to be thankful. So thank you for reading my posts. I promise there are many adventures to come and I can’t wait to share them with you! What are your “Reasons to be Cheerful” from the past year?