This is not the Spring at Colorado Academy which any of us had planned. We are, however, a resilient community, and we are doing our best to stay together and support each other.
When I hear about grit and resilience, two key attributes that CA emphasizes, I contemplate how I can support my kids in practicing these skills. But I was recently reminded that these skills are important for parents, too.
At the beginning of Spring Break, when it was becoming clear that, with COVID-19, we were going to have some extended time at home, we decided as a family to break out the Liberty Puzzle we received over the holidays. This 486-piece puzzle of Santa was one of the hardest puzzles I’ve ever seen. If you know Liberty Puzzles, you know this Boulder-based, wooden puzzle maker creates works of art.
Well, after weeks with not much progress, I decided to dig deep and spend some time to finish. This was no easy task: with no true borders, it could take an hour to place one piece. But happily, after some dedication and true grit, I finished it. It was a real accomplishment of, admittedly, an insignificant thing, and I knew I could have scrapped it at any point. The fact that I stuck with it, when I was frustrated and out of patience, really did feel like an accomplishment.
The little things, like completing a puzzle, can make a difference in how we feel. I’m trying to evoke this resiliency during this time of change, and to remember all that families are doing to forge ahead—while honoring the true sacrifices that are being made by so many in our community to keep us safe.
I hope that your family remains healthy, and I do wish for us all to continue to acknowledge the small “wins” we have in our daily lives.