I have a dear friend who has coined the phrase “The Sprinkle Perspective” — in reference to the tiny colorful sprinkles that adorn our favorite baked goods and treats. The very sight of sprinkles brings about nostalgic memories of celebration and joy. Such pleasure brought about in the tiniest, color-filled, spotted, and sweet package.
As I reflect on this calendar year and all that 2020 has dealt us, it would be easy to succumb to wishing this year away.
For those of us who have been so fortunate to stay healthy, employed, and well throughout this year, I recognize we are indeed blessed. Many are suffering from the pandemic, civil disparities, weather-related challenges, economic uncertainty, social void, and more. These are heavy topics indeed, and one could argue that we each have been touched by these challenges in some way throughout this year.
While so many moments of 2020 have been difficult, I decided to take a step back and put things into “The Sprinkle Perspective.” What if we were all to do the same?
Pause and consider what might be sprinkled into our newfound perspective as we look ahead to 2021 and beyond. It seems only appropriate to honor and pay respect to the present moment and this most unprecedented period in time we are living in.
COVID-19
The global pandemic has been the greatest viral healthcare scare since AIDS. How many days prior to COVID did you consider how thankful you are/were about the fact you woke up with a healthy set of lungs and energy to move about your daily tasks? I would venture to believe you will do so now, more than before.
I have also noticed how our relationships have evolved over the last nine months. Close friends became closer. And, perhaps those who were more peripheral have begun to fade.
In another hemisphere of relationships, I also believe opportunities in business, and otherwise, have happened at a more rapid pace due to the nature of our virtual world.
Recently, we had an illustration of this. Our BrokerTech Ventures team began in the morning on Zoom with a venture capital (VC) firm out of Paris, shared a mid-day Teams meeting with a creative firm out of NYC, and closed out the day on another Zoom with an insurtech founder from Sua Palo, Brazil. Would this activity have happened with such efficiency prior to COVID? Doubtful.
Disparity & Unrest
Prior to 2020, while many organizations had developed strategic initiatives to address diversity, inclusion, and broader engagement, one could argue that many may have been doing so simply to “check the box.”
Rest assured, as we move into 2021 and beyond, brands, companies, and organizations, alike, will be under a much tighter lens as these initiatives need action and need it now.
I am proud to work for companies (Holmes Murphy & BrokerTech Ventures) in which we are taking intentional measures to broaden our diversity, inclusion, and depth of culture approach. The key word is intentional, as this drives action and inspiration for others to follow-suit.
Weather Strife
“Promoting health, protecting wealth, and delivering peace of mind” — that’s Holmes Murphy’s signature statement. As our national geographies seemed to all experience natural disaster this year, you develop a keen sense of why we do what we do for our customers each and every day.
Whether a Derecho, hurricanes now spawning into the Greek alphabet, or deep-seeded wildfires, a sense of compassion and empathy surround us all.
Social Void
I am blessed. I love what I do and who I do it with. Not everyone can say this…and mean it. This being said, to take an overtly social creature and completely remove the human experience has been devastating.
I am certainly grateful for Zoom, FaceTime, Marcos, and even snail mail, but I miss people. Like, real people. I miss flights with coworkers. I miss large in-person board meetings. I miss philanthropic events. I miss hugs.
Even with all that I miss, I do find myself relishing in the small moments. Moments like the leaves crunching underneath my feet on walks around our beautiful city, pleasantries with our condominium handymen, and seeing our boutique retail and restaurants open their doors to welcome long-lost customers in a safe manner.
Looking Ahead to the Future
These are heavy subjects, which all have personal and specific meanings to each of us and varying degrees of impact.
My “Sprinkle Perspective” as we look toward 4th quarter and into the new year is this — I believe we are more compassionate, creative, and empathetic humans, employers, and caregivers due to these unprecedented experiences. After all, if we aren’t able to find joy in the tiny sprinkles that adorn our lives during times of strife, how will we mindfully appreciate and celebrate the greatest moments which await us ahead?
