“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities). I felt this was apt for our present circumstances. For many in our community, these past months have been a unique opportunity to realign priorities and strengthen relationships within our bubbles, what was once taken for granted is now greatly valued. For others, these past months have created seemingly insurmountable uncertainty about futures and livelihoods, not to mention personal health. There is understandable unrest and pent up tension all over the world, and in the USA, our recovery will take time. Some businesses will come back, and some will not. Let us not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. We are the land of the free and home of the brave, we are spilling over with talent, creativity and resources to facilitate a speedy recovery. Let us each continue to help our neighbors, support our communities and treat those who are less fortunate with compassion, respect and generosity.
On an engineering note, in New Zealand, there is motivation and momentum on the back of lockdowns, which has caused me to hit-the-ground-running. I have to say, I am almost busier now than before the lockdown, which is a testament to the entire team’s efforts since the end of March to plan and strategize on paper so that tangible results could immediately be pursued when allowed. I’m sure this is also the case in many places in the USA. We are all wearing the business development and creativity hats more as we do our part to help sustain our businesses without losing our company’s culture.
I hope that your companies are beginning to open their doors once more, that they are implementing safe ways for you to work in teams on ongoing projects, and if you aren’t yet working from your office, that on-site construction projects are offering you a respite from “home-work”. Your hard work and flexibility throughout the various levels of lockdown are part of your testimonial to your current and prospective clients. There has been a lot of sacrifice by us all, to help our companies stay strong throughout these unknown times. I hope you know your clients, colleagues and community are grateful for all you do. You are an excellent community of engineers.
I recently looked back at my optimistic January, and my “2020 vision” for SEAoT’s year. The spirit of my vision was to present to you a strong and robust SEAoT Houston/Gulf Coast chapter that offered interesting continuing education by engaging speakers, worthwhile networking opportunities and satisfying community outreach. So many things have happened in the past 5 months to waylay many of our best laid plans, but we are still here for you, working to offer you continuing education through free webinars, from knowledgeable professionals. Hopefully the best of times will come again, and we’ll meet in person (safely) at a seminar or networking event. Till then, be good and stay well.
Emily McCarthy
(President SEAoT Houston/Gulf Coast)
