By Dr. J. Michael Durnil, President and CEO, Simon Youth Foundation
SYF staff are often flabbergasted by my unyielding focus on the future while trying to be as far ahead in our planning as possible. I am a firm believer in “plan what you can” so you can be ready for any type of emergency that may arise.
2020 put that to the test.
As I sit here in the waning days of a year unlike any other, I am uncharacteristically reflecting more on what was rather than what is to be.
I vividly remember standing in the office on Friday, March 13. It was just after noon, and we had received word of the stay-at-home orders that would soon go into effect. Amid the scramble, I foolishly said something along the lines of, “Let’s plan on what the next few weeks will be like, and hopefully we will all be back together within the next month or so.”
That did not happen. In fact, there have been only two instances in which the majority of us were together in one place: In May, we hosted a goodbye drive-by parade for a staff member moving out of state, and earlier in December we gathered outdoors for very frigid holiday celebration at Newfield’s Winterlights (pictured here) earlier in December.
So, what has all this taught me?
1. My colleagues here in Indy, as well as our teachers and partners across the country, are as resilient as the students we support. No matter what 2020 has thrown at us, we have – for the most part – stayed ahead of the curve and met each challenge squarely head on. Our 98% graduation rate, despite a pandemic, still boggles my mind. Pivot, shift and flex have all become new and overused verbs.
2. Our Board, donors, supporters and stakeholders remained beyond generous in their contributions, in their unwavering belief in our mission, and in their recognition of the value – especially now – that our work brings to the students and communities we diligently serve. We added a record number of new supporters this year and launched several new initiatives (albeit mostly virtual) for people to get involved and participate in our work. Thank you can never be overused!
3. Grief is the price we pay for life, and with so much loss this year – from the little everyday experiences to the family, friends and colleagues we have lost along the way – we are all grieving. I try to focus on the memories that are filled with blessings for what each connection gave us.
The biggest lesson – never take the moment at hand for granted.
I’m sure that the traditional NYE soundtrack will play loudly this year in celebration of turning the calendar. But that second from 2020 to 2021 doesn’t provide a factory reset. All of us will carry forward the lessons learned – big and small – of this past year.
The final stanza of Auld Lang Syne, rarely sung or heard, contains these words…
“And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.”
I do miss the hands of trusted friends and look forward to brighter days ahead for all of us.
“For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.”
