Laura Kahn's Holiday Message

Back in April, someone shared with me the term “Covid dividends,” and I have tried to focus on them ever since. Covid dividends are the good things that have come out of this very trying situation.

My family is very blessed to be financially unharmed by the pandemic. So our biggest challenge has been around seeing family members in various states of quarantine. Having to choose between which children and grandchildren to see is not fun!

But there are those dividends. With my working from home, my partially retired husband and I have spent more time w/ our 2- and 5-year old grandsons than I would have ever dreamed possible. Whole mornings of blow-up pools, Barbie games and crayons. Starting back on Cinco de Mayo, I have met with a group of four girlfriends every Monday for patio, socially distanced cocktails; I would never have seen all of these friends every week. I get to spend more time hanging out with my best friend, my husband of 39 years. And I have learned to adapt at work.

If you told me that I could work effectively for five months without access to a single piece of paper, I would have said you were crazy!

And, weirdly, I have become more accepting of imperfection. Being at home all the time, I would have thought that all the little things would bother me more.

Instead, that scratch in my car, the unmatched hangers in my closet, a mess of crayons on the kitchen table … eh, who cares? I have danced around the kitchen to the “Frozen” theme song with my grandsons and, indeed, have learned to “let it go.”

So, here is to finding the best in any situation, and to being able to hug everyone we love at some point in 5781!

Laura Kahn is president of the Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta.