Edgartown: A shift in perspective

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—MV Times

Happy New Year! Goodbye 2020. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Welcome 2021. I saw a post on Facebook that said something to the effect of: “To 2021: Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t even have to be that great. You just have to be better than 2020.”

I feel like our standards for 2021 are somewhat lower than years past. We have hopes for the year to come, but we’re cautious. But even 2020 had its silver linings. I truly appreciated the extra time spent with my girl child. And my siblings and I talk to each other and text most every day now. My pace has slowed down immensely. Honestly, I don’t know how I used to work evenings and weekends in a restaurant after working all day in school. I savor my downtime now. Those are just a few of my silver linings. Hopefully, you all can look back on 2020 and find some silver in there too. Maybe even a little gold.

I am not a believer in New Year’s resolutions. It’s too much pressure for me. I just hope to do a little better each year. I hope to be a little kinder, a bit more patient, listen a bit more, and do good deeds. But the whole new year, new me thing is just never in my radar. Hats off to everyone who makes resolutions and keeps them. And hats off to those who don’t. We’re all just trying our best to be our best selves, right?

Happy birthday wishes go out this week to my other half, Don Casey. Notice I didn’t say better half. Ha ha. His birthday was officially on Jan. 3, but we celebrated the night before so that all the kids would be there. Other birthdays this week are my cousin, David Goodwin, also on Jan. 3, Lizzie Williamson, Tom Sawyer, and Deanna Laird on Jan. 5, Ashley Waters and Lindsay Medeiros on Jan. 6, and Jake Pertile on Jan.7.

School starts back in earnest this week and next. This week is basically the same schedule as we had before break. Next week, things change up a bit, with grades K-3 shifting to an earlier arrival time of 8:30 am Monday through Thursday. The 4th grade schedule remains the same. And grades 5 through 8 will attend from 8:20 am until 2:40 pm Tuesday through Friday. All of this information is posted on the school webpage at edgartownschool.org to help all of our families and staff keep track of it.

Politically, this is a big week. By the time you read this, we will know how things turn out with the Senate runoff in Georgia and what happens with the certification of electoral votes for the president. Regardless of our political affiliations, I bet we can all agree that it would be nice to get this election season over and done with and move forward. I myself would like to see our country unify and work together. When was the last time we were a cohesive country? I know we were after 9/11 but I feel like since then, not so much.

I had a profound thought today so thought I’d share it with you. I noticed a number of Christmas trees in the back of trucks, clearly heading to be discarded somewhere and I was saddened by it. And I thought to myself how different it is to see a tree in a truck after Christmas as opposed to when we see them in trucks or atop cars before Christmas. Prior to Christmas, the visual prompts a feeling of joy and celebration. The visual is the same but it’s my perspective that changed. The profound thought? It made me wonder how often that same thing is true in my life. Sometimes maybe just a change in perspective can help us when we’re struggling with something. It’s not always doable, but I think it’s worth trying. All that from a tree in a truck.

That’s about all for this week as we head into the true winter season. Stay safe out there. Wear your masks. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. And be kind. We always do better when we work together. Have a great week.

If you have any Edgartown Town Column suggestions, email Gail Gardner, ggardnermv@gmail.com.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. I think that each of us determines just how our lives will unfold in 2021. Make your travel plans, schedule the festivities for birthdays, look for ways to expand your focus. Step out with determination.

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