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September 2021
THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com
EXECUTIVE’S PERSPECTIVE
CAITLIN PUSATERI Rockford Chamber Executive VP
Are We There Yet? Not Yet.
This past summer, my family didn’t take a “big” vacation. With a newborn at the end of May and a 2.5 year old, a big vacation just wasn’t in the realm of sanity for me. But, we did fill our summer days with smaller adventures — most of which involved a few hours in the car. A classic “road trip”… toddler/baby edition. On one of our travels, we stopped at a rest stop to stretch our legs, go to the bathroom, and get more snacks (the best part of any road trip, no matter the travel time). After being confined in the car, it felt good to get out and stretch. After a short time, it was time to pile back in and keep journeying. I had to take a deep breath and brace myself for the second half of the trip. I knew I was going to be in an environment that wasn’t always comfortable — my legs were cramped by all the necessities shoved into the car for two little kids; my daughter was watching terribly repetitive and, after a while grating, kids shows on the iPad; my son was a ticking time bomb, crying if we dared to stop at a red light or once we
hit magical time limit I didn’t know; my daughter continually asking if we were there yet, when we had hours to go. I took a deep breath, got back in the car and went with it. We got where we were going, with mild amounts of discomfort and crying, and it was all worth it. In the end, when thinking back on the trip, the small discomforts aren’t what stick out — the good memories are. If I’m honest with myself, I actually feel pretty darn proud of myself that I was able to survive the trip, with everyone in relatively good spirits. Traveling with kids is hard, but I didn’t let it hold me back. I did the hard thing and I was better off for it. This past summer, we were at the rest stop of the pandemic. We got a chance to stretch our legs, take off the masks and enjoy the fresh air. Assuming we are vaccinated, we were able to hug our family and friends that we had missed dearly; support small business owners by dining in rather than taking out; and attend events in person rather than strictly on screen.
We grabbed our snacks, we stretched our legs — now we have to get back in the car and finish the journey. The pandemic isn’t over — as much as we want it to be. We still have work to do. We still have vaccines to get, masks to wear indoors, and others to watch out for. Our workplaces have to continue to pivot, be intentional, adjust once more. And it sucks. It’s often hot, uncomfortable, and sometimes anxietyinducing. But, here’s the thing: we will eventually move past this. I don’t know when — it could be years. But eventually, this too shall pass. And at that point, we will look back and we likely won’t remember much about masks or the few days of discomfort after the vaccine. We’ll remember the way people pulled together to support one another. We’ll remember the changes that were made to the workforce that had the power to make
the workforce a more equitable landscape. We’ll remember the time spent with our family and how much we value time with those we love. The discomforts will be forgotten and we’ll have pride that we mustered through. So take a deep breath. Put your seatbelt on and grab a map. It’s time to finish the journey. Do the hard, strategic work in your organizations to adjust to what’s no longer a short-term temporary situation. Put on the mask — vaccinated or not — when you’re indoors and around others. Continue to work with your team in an empathetic way to continue to pivot. It’s exhausting — but road trips are worth it. Doing the hard work through this health crisis is worth it, too.
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