Our World
What do you tell your kids about what is going on in today’s world? How do you handle it personally? What about your neighbors who you help out from time to time or spend time with. It is mind blowing to me how quickly the world as we knew it has disappeared and this new one emerged where you have to keep your distance from each other and visit with grandparents from the sidewalk or video screen or not at all.
I am amazed (although 
not surprised) at the bravery on display everyday by our healthcare workers. I have been through firefighting school in my younger days in the US Navy…..I can only imagine that it is like they are showing up to fight the same fire day after day that will not go out. They must be wondering when the nightmare will end. Not to mention the worry and stress they must carry for their own families who should be home and safe. Will they bring something home to infect their loved ones? Thanks to all those on the front line who are fighting and serving everyday.
Our community, I am betting like many others, is looking for ways to come together during this time to help and support each other. The thousands of small, family owned businesses that are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak are dealing with numerous issues. Our community is now sending food to essential front line workers and their staff via sponsorship. This not only helps the front line worker, it gives the restaurant that can’t open some much needed business to hopefully give them and their struggling employees a check to take home.
How hard is it for a young child to grasp why they can’t have a birthday party? That look in their eyes when told we can’t do it is challenging as a parent! I KNOW…. I had to deal with it. My oldest celebrated a birthday last week and was looking forward to seeing friends and family. But we didn’t do it….it was an extremely tough decision, but one that had to be made and one that was supported by not only my daughter, but her grandparents and other family members. In reality, it was not a tough decision, it was the only decision. This is one small example of the reality that is our world for the time being.
My wife and I are fortunate that our daughter accepted the news very maturely and totally understood. Our younger daughter who has a birthday in October says she doesn’t want a party because her sister didn’t get to have one (proud dad moment).
Like so many other things going on in the world, this is one tiny example of how COVID-19 has affected the bubble that myself and family live in. Fortunately for my bubble, we are healthy and do not know anyone directly affected as of this time. Watching the numbers go up everyday, that seems to be getting harder and harder to do.
Stay the course, this will pass and the world will be different. Not only will our lives be different, our business will be different as well. It is hard to see what a day may look like in the office 2 months from now. It might not be in the office, it could be from the safety of my home or another safe zone. For now, our partners still need products to keep their businesses afloat, so we are committed to supporting them as long as we safely can do that. UPS and FedEx are still running so we are still shipping products.
Truck bed liners and window film are not essential products to most people. It is for those that make a living off of it. It is for those that use it to put food on the table for their families. At some point as we traverse through this crisis, if not already, things may get extremely difficult. Luckily, we are not there yet and continue to work. Many of us are mobile or remote now and living in a virtual world. Human contact is and should be minimal…..( I am a hugger and when this is over, I plan to hug the entire world), but until then, we will continue to do our part to be safe while helping our partners!
Good luck and good health to you all! And please remember, we are all in this together, your choices and your actions can have a huge impact on others…both good and bad!