When I was in high school, I competed as a Varsity All-Around Gymnast. Vault was my best event, followed by bars and floor. Beam was my weak spot. Trying to balance on a four-inch piece of wood, four feet off the ground required great concentration and flexibility. For most of us, these past eleven months have been a challenge of balance, concentration, and flexibility, and while it may seem that we are floundering day-to-day, I believe the great majority of people have risen to the occasion.
Take, for example, the ingenuity that restaurant owners have demonstrated, creating outdoor dining areas or curbside/parking space pick-up so we can continue to enjoy our favorite meals. Retail stores like Best Buy and Home Depot, too, have made purchasing online with curbside pick-up a wonderful convenience. We can have our groceries from Vons and Costco delivered to our door, and our prescriptions from CVS delivered by mail. Some clothing and specialty stores have closed their brick and mortar stores, but they have turned instead to offering their unique products online.
That we were able to enjoy a full football season, culminating in yesterday’s Super Bowl, was nothing short of miraculous. Through strict enforcement of masks, daily COVID screening, contact tracing, and quarantining, the NFL was able to keep the spread of the virus at bay in their ranks, and continue to provide America with one of its favorite pastimes (still enjoyable, even though my Packers were out).
At St. Michael’s School, I am in awe of our students, staff, and parents, who have proven that no pandemic will stop us. From health and safety routines, to transitioning to digital learning, the SMS community has knocked it out of the park. It has not been easy, and at the beginning of the year this task seemed daunting and uncertain. But with balance, concentration, and flexibility, we have adapted beautifully.
So stay the course everyone – keep your head held high, eyes straight ahead, one foot in front of the other, and whatever you do – DON’T LOOK DOWN!
Deo Gratias,
Kathy
