A colleague across the hall, Erika, (who also happens to be a dear friend and our team’s official joy-spreader) has been known to shout/sing “Everything is Awesome!” at random times throughout this wild and crazy back-to-school season. Our team has successfully exhausted the song’s lines, as well as every emoticon and bitmoji of the like.
Of course, everything is not awesome, but truthfully, it’s going well. Really well. As well as we could have hoped for.
I look around at the work that’s being done, and can’t help but notice that things are, er, intense. Most of us are dealing with all or some of the following: preparing and grading work for students in school and for those learning at home; mapping out lessons on tech platforms that are still new to us; jumping through the psychologically exhausting guessing game of “what if?” What if we get shut down again? What if I get quarantined and can’t be in school? What if this new normal isn’t temporary and goes on and on and on? When I ponder all of that, I can’t help but actually laugh out loud at the idea that “everything is awesome.” Sometimes it’s hysterically funny; other times it’s entirely overwhelming.
Then I hear Erika's version of “Everything is Awesome” reverberate down the hallway and listen closely for the chuckles and giggles that follow it. That’s it, right there. I am reminded of the terrific joy that surrounds me, and I am infinitely grateful for the joy-spreaders in my life.
Stop and consider this question: what is bringing you joy? In the middle of the crazy. During the endless unpredictability of 2020. In the absurdly difficult. What’s keeping your spirits up and your head in the game?
I hope you share your answer with someone, or take some time to thank the ones who fuel your tank and keep you going. Friends, let’s speak that goodness aloud. Let’s talk about what is positive. Let’s share the joy, because… everything is awesome!
To see more of Erika’s beautiful graphic art, click the image above or follow this link.