Comfort in the Chaos

Just one week ago, Lynn and I were planning on attending the NACAC college fair in Syracuse, touring 5 schools in upstate NY, flying down to Florida to tour more schools in the Orlando and Tampa. Instead… we spent our week canceling hotels, flights, and rental cars and moving our college kids home and setting up workstations for each family member to work from home. Funny how things can change so fast.

Besides the normal health concerns around this virus, and the economic effects of quarantine, the Q&A session in my own head has been wondering...will my kid’s college refund the room and board costs we paid in January? will my 10th grader be ready for her AP’s if the remainder of the year ends up being online? will we eat healthy and get enough exercise? will I be able to manage my clients 100% online? will my internet handle all the activity in this house?

I know these worries are zero (or negative 500) on the scale of what some families are concerned about these days, but I can’t help to be a little stressed in my own real-world-first-world-problems kind of way. As you navigate this global crisis, know that the big things and the little things that stress you out are valid. Know that you are not alone. Below is the letter I received yesterday from my daughter’s college president. I found it comforting and hope you do too.
Be well.
https://statements.cornell.edu/2020/20200317-6CA37g-to-the-cornell-community.cfm?fbclid=IwAR3wgCnRaba3qibuyRhkB2Vpyd-U7tYQkKKxcj_jewUEono17O4SoxrEghU