What in the hell happened? 30 days ago, if you would have told me that everyone in the United States or the world for that matter, were going to be asked to stay home because of a rogue virus, the streets would be empty, and all sorts of companies would be struggling to stay afloat, I would have told you that you’ve been watching too much television.  My kids have said to me several times that it feels like we are in some sort of horror movie playing itself out in real life, and I agree. THIS IS CRAZY!

It’s so weird because I’m not really sure what to think or feel, and when I settle in on something, it changes by the afternoon. My wife Bridget and I are constantly talking about what the family policy is going to be about certain things, can you relate? Do we allow our teenage kids to have friends over? Can we shoot buckets at the gym if nobody else is there? (Nevermind, they shut that down yesterday.) Should you order food out, or is that too risky? Do I drive my family to Houston to see my mom before she goes in for heart valve surgery? The answers are elusive because none of us have ever been to this place before and the situation is so dynamic, almost every decision is more difficult. Speaking of how things change, I’m a big believer in avoiding negative inputs like watching too much news, and these days, that applies more than ever. 20 minutes of television can put you in a dark place if you’re not careful but on the other hand, we all need to stay informed. ARGGGH.

It doesn’t help that we are feeling so many different emotions about the current state of things. In my family, we try to anchor ourselves in gratitude. Always. Yes, this sucks, but it could be worse and there is still a lot in our lives to be thankful for.  Then we move to anger because our spring break got blown up, or the fact that my daughter will likely not have her senior prom or even experience her high school graduation. Sadness for the people that are suffering from the illness or just scared that they could be next. And fear that the health problem could get much worse, and what the impact of this event could have on our economy.

What I know for sure is that this is a moment in time and it will pass. Having been through one of the deadliest tornados in U.S. history, I have seen “disaster” up close and it’s tough when you’re in it, but it’s just a season. 

So, for now, we are making the best of it like most of you are I’m sure. In the downtime we are shooting hoops in the driveway, watching movies as a family, and eating meals together which is almost impossible during “normal times”. My wife is organizing every cabinet in the house and loving every minute of that, and I am getting projects done for work that will drive things forward when this whole things settle down. I’m also doing some pro bono work for a non-profit that is bringing me joy even more than it normally would. If you can find a safe way to serve others right now then jump on that. You will love how it makes you feel, especially right now.

If you have been reading this blog for very long, you know that I am a faith guy. After that tornado in Joplin, my good friend and pastor Aaron Brown said something to our church the Sunday after it hit that I think of all the time and it works perfectly for where things are right now. “God never said it was going to be easy. But he did say, he would always be with us no matter what.” If you are a person of faith, I’m sure you have been praying hard lately so keep that up. If you aren’t, I hope you are finding a good way to cope and shine a light in your own way.

My prayers are up for all of you so stay safe, take care of yours, sanitize, and find a way to make the most out of this little visit to crazy town. As Darius Rucker says….“It won’t be like this for long.”

PS..For all of you still heading into work to keep things moving like the people stocking shelves, driving trucks or working in health care, we appreciate you!!!