Here we are, mid-summer, and let me tell you: I'm feeling all the feels. I spent this last week purging our little condo here in Old Town where Tim and I have lived for the last seven years and in the process, I found all sorts of mementos and reminders of how lucky we are to be here, right now - yes, even right now! If anything is going to get us through the next many months, it's gratitude for the days we have so, here's my personal list of why I'm feeling grateful today if you're interested...  

1. I am grateful for my truly amazing partner, Tim, whose patience, calm attitude, and complete talent has enabled us to run and grow a creative small business in the midst of the most challenging economic reality any of us has known - not to mention his truly enviable parenting skills (somehow, he is always able to have a good day with our four-year-old son, whereas I am often left tearing my hair out at the end of a marathon parenting session...)

2. I am grateful for the scientific and medical professionals who have dedicated their lives to researching subjects I found too boring or difficult for my own path. They chose very difficult careers, have spent thousands of hours training and researching (often giving up the potential for a "normal" family life in dedication of their education), and now work daunting hours to keep our communities informed and safe. Truly, we are lucky to be alive now, if only for the benefit of living off of the ever-growing compendium of work done by these professionals.

3. I am grateful that our community feels strong and "together," and grateful for the years of work other business professionals in our area put into developing our neighborhood into the economic hub it now is. Without their work, our business community truly would have dissipated in this new reality.

4. I am grateful to the technology that has enabled us to endure this pandemic relatively well-connected and allowed Tim and I to continue to adapt our business to the new reality. Can you imagine if we had no spreadsheets to share?? Ok, I realize that's like, the nerdiest thing but whatever, yes, I am grateful for spreadsheets. They calm me!

5. I am grateful to be living during what will hopefully become a turning point in our nation's history regarding racial justice and climate change. I feel that the pandemic has forced people to actually pay attention to prevailing problems that we otherwise so easily just distracted ourselves from taking notice of. Without sports, date nights, parties, etc... yes, we are left with depressing things to focus on, but these facts of the world are important, so important, so I'm grateful we get to see them so forcefully right now. I think we will be better people at the end of this.

 And, bonus: I am grateful to my team here at Alx&Co. for keeping the wheels turning while Tim and I juggle parenting with co-working with all this. It's an overwhelming time to run a small business and to be responsible for so much, but you know what? It's possible with help and these guys get it done. Thank you.What are you grateful for? Tell us! Share the love!