As the new year is unfolding, a retrospective of this year definitely makes sense to me.
At work many times, Engineering is heading to deliver and hence to pause after each sprint to have a retrospective is often ignored or passed on for next time. And often we forget the value that it adds to each one in the team.
"It is fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure" ~ Bill Gates
I believe its always good to have a retrospective which can always enlighten us because we often don't think much when we are doing something and it often shows how dynamically we work under high-pressure. Similarly year 2020 was a roller coaster ride for everyone around the world.
I am sure like every year, this year also analysts will have their retrospective but how are we individuals looking at it?
One thing I was happy that this year beginning I was with my loved ones and my parents hence could spend some quality time with everyone. It was the beginning of corona year, by the time I reached home in California.
The way we say it was in the air and so was in the news but were we scared or prepared? No!
By the time I came from India and rejoined with my team at work, stay at home was induced and we all were planning to work from home.
I was prepared but I always thought it would be a short period of time and then we all will be back to normal. This is how it is taught in the Defense, one may be on vacation but be ready to go to the war whenever there's a call from your unit and that can be anytime.
"Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change." ~ Richard Branson
And I was so confident about this going back to normal, that everyday I woke up and dressed up as if I am going to work and got into my usual calls and meetings.
I was never worried about a bad hair or bad dressing day as I was always ready for anytime video calls because I am at work and so I should be ready - isn't it?
The weeks turned into months and I figured that my movements are getting restricted because of my work, and my schedules. Well, a routine is a must and hence my daily walks kicked-in, and after my meeting whenever I got a chance I came to my backyard spent time looking at the mountains, the orange tree, the guava tree, the oak and the chirping birds would grab my attention as they would jump on the roof to grab the worms.
During this time, lot of things happened while many were dying due to corona virus. I developed new hobbies such as bird watching and learning about them and taking care of them in my backyard.
Everyday after my breakfast I change their water and make sure the feeder is filled with seeds and they all recognize me today when I do that. Its a friendly relation with nature which I always built no matter which part of the world I lived in.
"The great solution to all human problems is individual inner transformation." ~ Vernon Howard
Healthy eating and exercising is my way of living and hence that continued but one blessing in disguise that happened was I got to stay at home and enjoy my home which never happened before. Because I am always at work and weekends mostly we would travel out locally or long trips during long weekends.
This pandemic gave me the opportunity to look and feel each corner of my house and mainly not inside but outside of my home. Nature has so much to offer I was able to share it with my family too.
The Birthdays, Festivals, Thanksgiving, Team celebrations and lunches, Christmas celebrations you name it, everything was celebrated well with food, drinks and dessert and most of them were cooked at home with family being together in the kitchen. How fun is that!!!
Giving and taking care is what I have learned always and this year was nothing new, rather it enforced everyone to think through and follow the norms.
This year many life perished due to pandemic and or due to many other reasons. Some close ones and known ones have died and it has only made me worry more for my loved ones that are alive.
There is only one life and if we live selflessly and care and share what we have with others it will only multiply the happiness and friends.
I wish we all don't miss any learnings from this year 2020 and carry those into 2021 with more gratitude, empathy and consistent in keeping everyone safe and healthy by wearing mask and social distancing!!!
"A man should be never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying ... that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." ~ Alexander Pope
Happy New Year 2021!!!
Celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings !
~ Dawn
No comments:
Post a Comment