I’ve never felt so…connected

I have been working from my home office for the last 15 years. In times past, I found that every four months or so, I’d start to feel disconnected, and that meant it was time for a trip out to Seattle to reconnect with everyone. I loved these trips, aside from the time away from my family.

I did not go out to take part in a project or the launch of some new features or sites, although those things did happen. I went to have lunch, dinner, and coffee with my longtime friends. Some of my fondest memories are walking around Seattle with Garry, our COO, and talking about life, family, and work. I loved my traditional dinner date out with Josh Lynch and his wife at our favorite places to eat in Seattle (Serious Pie). Grabbing coffee with Kevin O’Keefe and talking about anything and everything. I’ll never forget the time Jared Sulzdorf and I walked miles to get Tacos Chukis (pineapple in a taco – brilliant) and bring them back to the office where we sat and ran through the challenges of the day and the fun projects we were collaborating on together.

In reminiscing about these moments and countless more, I’m grateful for these special times and the opportunity to work with such good friends.

I was supposed to head out to Seattle this May. I was looking forward to this trip. Then came Coronavirus, and all things came to a halt for everybody. As much as I miss these times, and I look forward to the day when I can book my next trip, I have been able to find the “connection” needed with co-workers through evening phone calls, through virtual get-togethers where we work as if we are all in the same office space, and by one on one video chats. While not as good as the real thing, they are sufficient.

I’ve found myself making more phone calls or video chats than ever before. I am reaching out to family, friends, co-workers, and clients. Now is the time to over-connect and make sure others are doing OK.

These are interesting and uncertain times we are living in, and now more than ever, we must be proactive in looking to the needs of others. The best way to help is by serving others. I love this passage from Philippians 2, which says: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. A simple command yet often neglected (see TP hoarding).