What We've Learned A Year Later

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Around the dinner table last night, instead of doing our ritual gratitude reflection, we shared the lessons we’ve learned over the past year, a year unlike any of us have lived through before.

"There is no normal." Shared my nine-year old daughter. "What we thought was normal before, like in-person school every day, now doesn’t feel normal. Even the words…in-person school. I mean…we used to say school!"

"It’s less about what I’ve learned and more about who I’ve become." exclaimed my 12-year-old. "I can do hard things. I can deal with SO. MUCH. CHANGE.

They truly set the tone for our evening and the lessons kept flowing into the night. Here are some others that stood out for us:

  1. We are now even more committed to making our schools, work and communities more inclusive and equitable.

  2. We often take our physical health for granted…and when it’s gone, there’s truly nothing else.

  3. While there’s a lot we miss, we have enjoyed spending more time doing less.

  4. We were never in control, even though we thought we were.

  5. We all really like each other. How lucky are we??

As we hit this one-year mark, I encourage you all to gather with your people (in a covid-safe way, of course), and share, document and acknowledge what’s come out of this time for you. Feel free to ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What lessons have I learned in this unique year?

  2. What do I want to remember about this time?

  3. What do these lessons mean for who I will BE now and in the future?

  4. How do I want to remind myself of these lessons if they begin to fade?


After you spend some time with these questions, I’d love to hear your insights. Feel free add comments, below, to let me know what’s come up for you.

Rachel GarrettComment