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May you live in interesting times.
May you live in an interesting age.
May you live in exciting times. – Unknown

I admit with shame, I somewhat wished for this. In some ways, I already thought I lived in interesting times, with so much innovation and technological change. However, I rarely had time to appreciate all the marvels at my fingertips, even though most were new advances I had only dreamed of in my childhood. I am still waiting for my hoverboard and robot from the Jetsons, which would prove highly useful at present.

Still, I wished for something to come and disrupt the stress of my daily life. I was so busy all the time. I find it strange to think of my old life as past tense, but I think it’s true; it may never be again.

I wonder if this will become the new BC; if we shall measure things as before, and after, COVID-19.

I may lament the loss of some of my previous life, but other things, surprisingly less so. In some ways, I am busier than ever, working full-time, and home-schooling my two children. In other ways, less so, with life so stripped down to essentials.

I recall a conversation with a friend of a friend at a group dinner about how she home-schooled her children, and still found time to work part-time. I was intrigued, and surprised by what she shared that day. Upon reflection, it made sense to me that school hours are shorter when tailored to the specific academic needs and interests of each child. Soon, life moved on, and I discounted it as an option for us given I don’t work part-time, or even full-time. My hours and days are quite a bit longer, running a company, and meeting the needs of clients in different time zones. When I’m not worn down with too much doing, I revel in the busyness of it all.

Now, I reflect back on that conversation, and wonder if I was meant to hear those words, to aid in imagining a new reality.

While days may be quite full for a while, balancing work, and kids’ school, I find there is less on my list overall, with my energies more narrowly directed, and nearly all external distractions gone. There are no activities, extra-circulars, fund raisers, personal appointments, business travel, shopping, or other requirements to procure shoes, or ships, or sealing wax.

For now, the beauty of a pared-down life appeals to me. Its simplicity is a comfort in the uncertainty of these times.

I try not to think of the sad horrors I cannot touch, or the useless, strangled fear for the future of my country and our world…or the state of the kids’ college savings plans, or if the dreams I had of early retirement are really gone.

I try instead, to focus on doing what needs to be done each day, for my family, my kids, and my business, and also to allow some time for beauty: in the perfectly formed daffodil in the garden, the racing clouds reflected on the water, giggles over today’s sing-along lesson, or the new piano piece I am learning, watching my fingers travel across the keys to a crescendo.

While not knowing what will happen next, or what our collective fate may be, is frightening, waiting time is not necessarily a bad time. I am excited to see what people will do next. Uncertainty and need will surely fuel the next wave of innovations.

There is a Chinese curse which says ‘May he live in interesting times.’ Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. – JFK, 1966