Crappy Images I Took During SIP

Ahhh, life lessons that I did not expect. Yes, the world learned my secret. Ok, not so much a secret but just something that happens every year and something I am thankful for every single year. It didn’t happen as planned this time though.

This year was different. The world took a pause. It wasn’t just me this time.

January and February are my slowest time of the year. I’m very thankful for this time actually. It is usually rainy, quiet and the air I breathe is cool and clear and crisp. I breathe deeper, I become calmer, I feel peace. I need this time to rejuvenate. If you are an extrovert then you have no idea of what I am talking about. This time is for me and me alone. I organize, plan, mark off things on the To-Do list. I do nothing. I do more nothing. I do even more nothing.

Alone not lonely.

Now the world is with me and I feel a difference.

My walk tonight was different. It has been two months of the Bay Area primarily, the United States in general and a good portion of the world doing something we never had to do before. Tonight though, people said hello and smiled. A month ago, they circumvented me like the plague. I am not kidding. Yes, think “Walking Dead”. This is a small, local park and I do not wear a mask. I bring a cocktail actually. There were more people in the dog park area and I was so thankful to see them. So many times I walked by hoping to see dogs playing but there were none. I volunteered to foster a dog, but there were none. This is not a bad thing.

Life is coming back to what we knew, sort of.

I was never afraid. Never, ever of this virus. Not a single, solitary moment. That was a life lessons I didn’t imagine I would need. I was afraid of the future and what it was to be. It would not be the same. I was prepared as much as someone who has never experienced a pandemic could be prepared but I read a lot. A lot.

It has been officially two months now of SIP or Stay Home, Stay Safe or whatever your state calls it. It honestly, has not been difficult for me. The months prior were really busy and I am thankful for that. I was for sure missing my “hibernation” time but little did I know that I was going to have it after all and a bit longer than usual.

I have seen so much good come from this time and it has really warmed my heart. I’ve seen my peers and colleagues in a whole new way and I LOVE it. They have made me feel not so alone. No doubt, we all started this time with “what the f$%&” and what am I going to do. The first night of SIP I could only hope that I was prepared and had done everything I possibly could smart and focused and organized. So far, so good.

This time has flown by.

Really, seriously flown by. I have accomplished a lot and my mind has settled from that first night and three weeks of “what the hell is going on in the world”. That doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about the future because well, my life will not be the same professionally for a long time. A really long time. I will be OK though. As a good friend reminded me, “You have conquered far harder things in life”. Tis true in the scheme of things.

Whatever it may look like. My community in the events industry has too. I am not alone. I never actually was even if I felt like it. We really are in this together and for them I thankful. I’ve seen them doing their crazy and fun SIP things and also being supportive of each other, our community, understanding that we are stronger together and we are indeed capable.

And my beloved clients… they too are planning for the future. I have booked weddings, I’ve confirmed events, I’m working on long ago wedding albums, providing prints and more. Each of these things no matter how small or big remind me that we are moving forward after a very hard stop.

I think Mother Earth has enjoyed the time sans us pesky humans. I hope the vast majority of us realize we need to do better and be better. It cannot be “me”. It must be “we”. My heart breaks for those who lost someone, lost a business, is hungry or other personal struggles and I hope they too have a community that can help. I wish I could save the world.

And, here we are…

So, here I am, here we are two months in. The world is not in my control and I’m along for the ride. Where I am in control, I am moving forward as I can with these new life lessons in mind.

I really look forward to seeing some faces in person and hugs. OMG hugs!!! One of the life lessons I did not need reinforced.

My post from a month ago about Covid-19 and SIP HERE.