Heart and Soul…A Thanksgiving Story
Like many Americans today, I am thinking about all of the things I am grateful for since last Thanksgiving and suffice it to say, good health definitely tops the list. And never did I ever imagine last year at this time any of us would have spent the better part of this year dealing with a worldwide pandemic but here we are…and yet my heart and soul feel more full than ever.
While all of social media newsfeeds are filled with good wishes, gratitude and, of course, a lot of photos of food today, I am relatively certain I may be the only small business owner that conducted a job interview this morning. It was the most mutually convenient time we could find, and, quite honestly I think it was the best time to chat without any of the normal workday distractions, interruptions, stress to keep moving on through the tasks at hand, blah blah blah.
And lest we forget, this is a Thanksgiving like none other any of us have experienced as we continue to navigate the surge in COVID cases and deaths. The normal craziness we have come to associate with this holiday is very different this year. It is a whole other level of crazy, but at the same time it feels, well, more sane. Even though a lot of people are not heeding the warnings to refrain from traveling this weekend and scenes from extremely crowded airports across the country are concerning to say the least, I was pleasantly surprised when I had to make a last minute trip to the grocery store late yesterday afternoon and it was relatively empty. That is my definition of holiday sanity.
The liquor store I passed by after?
Yeah, there was a line out the door and around the corner.
Hey, no judgement here, but I did find it amusing on some level.
What I didn’t find amusing?
Seeing a few people in that line dressed up as if they were going to a party. Sorry, but I did judge them because I am concerned that they are not taking our current Level Red status here in Colorado seriously and are gathering at someone’s home with others from more than two households.
Look…I get it…we are all dealing with pandemic life fatigue.
And we all want to see our family and friends.
And we all really do want to remain healthy.
But I still think it is selfish for anyone right now to make a social event a priority over social responsibility.
And, yes, that does include Denver Mayor Michael Hancock who went on record last week urging everyone to stay home this holiday
And then yesterday he flew out of DIA to see his family in Mississippi.
The backlash absolutely appropriate.
His Twitter apology?
Not so much…
Seriously? Your heart, not your head? Wouldn’t we all like to lead with our heart?
And be with our families and friends?
And be forgiven regardless of whether it turns out to be a super spreader event or not?
Nope!
I cannot and will not accept his apology. It was a stupid decision…and one that may have serious consequences.
This mayor stood with Governor Polis less than a week ago as a united leadership front for our state and then gets on a plane?
So was it his heart or head that made the statements last week?
Ugh!
After getting off the Zoom interview a little while ago I was thinking about the conversation and all of the other conversations I have had with the people I have interviewed over the last several days who I am looking to hire to help me with any of my organizing and move management projects moving forward.
Suffice it to say, the level of trust I must have is huge in hiring anyone right now.
Are they following all of the precautions as vigilantly as I need them to so they can be in my clients homes with me?
Will they be honest about it?
I know trust and honesty is critical for any employer-employee relationship but it is beyond important for me at this time. My livelihood depends on it and, at the risk of being accused of being dramatic, it could mean life or death.
I wasn’t planning on becoming an employer right now, but if there is one positive that has come out of this whole year it is that so many people have realized how cluttered and disorganized their homes have always been or became as a result of pandemic life.
Think about it…you were suddenly thrust into a situation where you are working from home, have kids doing remote learning, no where really to go and anything to do beyond outdoor activities liking hiking, cycling, climbing which here in Colorado we are sooooooooooooooooooooooo lucky to have sooooooooooooooooo many options.
Yep, we are all home much more than we ever used to be and that means we are surrounded by our “stuff” 24/7.
And there is no escaping it.
And when we can’t escape reality, one of two things happen…
- We ignore the issues at hand and literally continue to pretend the chaos and clutter…whether interal or external…isn’t a problem.
- We acknowledge the issues at hand but have no clue how to get any control over the chaos and clutter and become even more overwhelmed by everything and anything.
Yes, home organizers like me are very busy right now.
And yes, I am very grateful for being productive and making a living at doing what I truly love.
And, yes, I am more than happy to help stimulate the economy in my own small way by employing occasional per diem help to do some of the true “heavy lifting” and grunt work.
But no, I am not taking advantage of desperate people in desperate times. I take great pride in how I present myself and show up for my clients from start to finish. I truly want to be the conduit for change in their lives and despite how physically, emotionally and mentally draining some projects can be, I get energized at the same time knowing I do good work.
And by good work, I mean I go above and beyond just sorting things into the standard keep, sell, donate and trash piles.
I talk to my clients and try to uncover some of the reasons they are struggling.
I do not, though, attempt to “fix” them.
That is work for a mental health or other “therapeutic” specialist.
Me?
I’m someone who just understands that not everyone has what one client said is an organizing “superpower”.
So if I do good work then I now need really good people who understand this is not work for the faint at heart. They actually need to have a very strong, caring, giving heart and soul filled with compassion for some of the circumstances we will be facing with clients.
And that brings me back to the interview this morning. The woman is an ER trauma behavioral intake specialist who has been on the frontlines since COVID first hit but recently decided she can no longer work full time at the hospital. She is plain and simply exhausted from those duties and responsibilities but wants to still be making a difference…just not in a hospital doing 12 hour shifts 4 times a week.
Her heart and soul?
I think it is in complete rhythm with mine and I cannot wait to work side by side with her along with 5 other people that I spoke with and all seem to share the same mindset as me.
This is my Thanksgiving 2020 Pandemic Life Story…and it may go down as the best Thanksgiving ever if it means that I have found a group of people that could propel my business further than I ever imagined.
The stone crabs that I decided to have delivered from Florida as my Thanksgiving meal?
I am fully anticipating they will also be part of my Thanksgiving 2020 story as well, but obviously for very different reasons. I’m a pescatarian so I normally just eat all of the side dishes. But I decided to treat myself and the one other person in my Thanksgiving pandemic household/bubble to something that would make it feel a lot more special. I guess I decided this holiday a little guilty pleasure would be appropriate.
The willpower it took to not eat any since they were delivered on Tuesday?
Let’s just say it was pretty intense, but I think I will make it a few more hours at this point.
Be well…be safe…be grateful…be kind…and have the best Thanksgiving you can because you never know where your Thanksgiving 2020 story may lead.
