Dear friends,
As many did during the pandemic, my friends and I began to set up bi-weekly zoom calls for us to check in on one another, support one another, all those kind of things we could do because we couldn’t actually hang out with one another. This friend group is an interesting one. We’ve all been friends since we were little, though we’ve never lived in the same place. None of us went to school together, high school or college. But despite that, once a year, we figure out a way to get together and spend a few days and nights hanging out. We like to go to weird museums, play games, do puzzles, that kind of stuff. When they were asking how digital learning was going last year, I told them it was going pretty well, but that as adept I am a technology, there is one thing that is a huge pain and I cannot figure out. And one of them said, “let me guess, the printer.” YES!!! I exclaimed. He said, “I work in a robotics lab with some of the smartest engineers in the world, and WE can’t figure out the printer.” And another friend chimed in, “I have a PhD in computer science, and I can’t figure out the printer, either!” It was a very funny moment. So, knowing that digital learning was coming up this week I decided to try and start fresh, and buy a new printer for the house so there wouldn’t be any problems. It came, I set it up with my cell phone, it was super easy, even printed something from my laptop. So when my daughter wanted to print off her math homework, I told her what to do, and…her laptop can’t connect. Something about the chrome book being the property of the school, etc, etc. I was so disappointed. My printer woes are not behind me, apparently, and the struggle continues. I know the hope we had for the beginning of 2022. A fresh start with the pandemic seemingly behind us as people were vaccinated and good about wearing masks, etc. Our pandemic woes were behind us, until they weren’t. I keep going back to that scene in Ted Lasso, when all the fans of his football team refused to get their hopes up and they kept saying this phrase to him, “It's the hope that kills you.” And he defiantly steps into his locker room and says, “I disagree, it's the lack of hope that’ll get you. We have a saying back where I’m from too, Do you believe in miracles?” So while the pandemic, and the decisions that come with it, are not behind us. The struggle continues, but do not give up on hope. Because we have it, and the world needs it. The world needs what we have at Embry Hills UMC. I believe that. We all need hope, and we all need community. I still believe in miracles. And one day, the printer will work.
Peace,
Jordan