Just when we thought it was over, a new wave of Covid-19 appears at our shore in the form of Delta. Will this blow over in a few weeks? How long will it go on?
I find it so hard to face the ups and downs of Covid-19 as the virus and our understanding of it changes. The waves feel like an ocean — unpredictable, big and small, and sometimes lethal.
The disruptions and gray areas hurt my brain. Navigating social norms, boundaries, and social calendars requires constant mental calculations when the data changes so quickly. And planning for the future feels impossible when our plans can be swiftly upended. Many questions abound about the weeks and months ahead. A few weeks ago I went dancing indoors during a family vacation. Now I have to reconsider all my social plans. Should I gather with my parents this weekend? Will I attend a friend’s wedding in a few weeks? What will that conference look like next month? And how do my choices affect my unvaccinated daughter and my immunocompromised sister?
This is the time in between. We’ve made some progress with vaccines, but we expect more battles ahead. It’s hard to go back to wearing masks, increased social distancing, negotiating rules with friends and relatives. The whiplash of hopes—and hopes dashed, sometimes sends me spinning into despair.
It helps a bit to recall how much more uncertain the world felt a year ago. And yet, we have new uncertainties now, and new data to confront. I remind myself regularly to be here and now. And to swim with the tide. This wave will also subside.
I hope you’re all staying safe and healthy,
Noha Waibsnaider
Co-Founder & CEO
GatheringUs
As we all adjust to the current “normal,” if you need help modifying an in-person event, reach out to our team. Whether you’re planning a corporate meeting, conference, nonprofit fundraiser, wedding, funeral, or memorial, we can help you brainstorm how to include remote attendance. Our team has organized 500 hybrid and virtual events and we kept over 100,000 people safe. We can work with you to consider hybrid and virtual complexities, A/V systems, and technology options in creating a meaningful and connected event. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with our team.
Our mission at GatheringUs is bring together family and friends to support each other and celebrate the life of their loved ones. We help with planning, facilitation, tech support, A/V setup, media, and design, and work with you to create a meaningful and personal event. We free you up, so you can be fully present with your community.
About the author: Noha Waibsnaider is the co-founder of GatheringUs. She has been recognized as a White House Champion of Change, Women Presidents Organization’s 50 Fastest, JWI Woman to Watch, Columbia Business School’s Distinguished Alumna, and received the Ecademy Award for Entrepreneurship. At GatheringUs, she has helped over 100,000 people celebrate the life of a loved one remotely and has advised many organizational leaders on grieving virtually.
