Four Years ago the world shut down. I remember that February I had just gotten home from New Orleans celebrating my birthday and my biggest worry was how and when was VRBO going to compensate me as that’s the trip where the rental was infested with fleas. This was before I had a dog so I didn’t know what fleas were and was frustrated that the VRBO rep asked me to take a photo of the fleas. The entire trip we heard about Covid but the United States government was blindly optimistic and kept telling us that everything was under control and then bam! Like a ton of bricks everything came to a halt and doors were shuttered. Some were to never open again. Even capitalism closed and that’s how I knew that I and everyone else was in for something we had never experienced.

At the time I had been working from home for a few years, back when Highmark was in it’s peak “progressive” era and I liked home but after work I usually left the house ASAP. That March leaving the house wasn’t an option. At the time I was living in a 3rd floor one bedroom walk-up. The apartment was beautiful but after being forced to stay home the beauty wore off. Those months felt like the world stopped. I used to watch Containment a lot (too many times) and I never picked that up again. I baked so many things, hosted virtual gatherings, created a pod for my sanity, and then as if the universe was out to say something I too eventually stood still and listened. It was almost like a reset. I got to know me better and in 2023 getting laid off from Highmark after almost a decade (I got to train my replacements who were based in India before leaving) was scary but 2020 prepared me for it. It wasn’t where I needed to be even if I wanted to be.

4 Years ago I changed and didn’t know that I was changing. Our government’s blatant disregard for our well-being and capitalism still continuing the way it did “after” brought me to many realizations.

A) Helping people will always be at the core of who I am.
B) I will always have to put me first to accomplish A from a sustainability standpoint
C) The fact that some Americans got money during a global health crisis but not therapy and went on as business as usual taught me everything that I needed to know about capitalism.

I have checked out of things that don’t serve my core values and checked in with things that motivate me to do better. Surprising to no one money isn’t on that list. 4 years ago taught me that life is precious and the things that matter the most are people and keeping true to my purpose.

“This pandemic has provided an opportunity to reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to reimagine economic systems, that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.”-
Pierre Poilievre