And that’s that

True confession.
I’ve always wanted to be better at the letting-go stuff.
Better at accepting that I am only one of billions of people, all spinning on planet Earth around the sun.
I’ve never been very good at this.
I have fussed over when our kids will tell us their Easter plans, which of Andrew’s business trips I should go on, and when we will get the Girl Guide cookies for The Original Girl Guide Cookie Treat of the Week running April 5th to 11th.
Oh, and on the Girl Guide cookies, I’ve needed to know how many little Guides will be coming for the photo shoot because last time we did not have enough boxes of mini cupcakes ready for them all.
I mean, when it has come to focusing on minutiae I have nailed it.
On Thursday of last week, my management team and I put together a business continuity plan to really be ahead of the game.
At the end of day Friday, we decided to consolidate our business to three stores.
On Monday morning, we closed all our stores.
Tuesday we laid off the whole team.
And on Wednesday – less than a week before the spiral really began – I had a call with my management team, all at home, all laid off.
And that’s that.
The last week has cemented my place in the Universe, and that of Prairie Girl Bakery.
Not very damn high.
But knowing how inconsequential my business and I are makes things actually easier right now. After all these years of working so hard to keep things in perspective, the Universe has slammed on the brakes for the whole planet, making it undeniably easy to focus on what’s important right now. I know it is different for each of us.
My important stuff right now:
• My entire loyal and hardworking team is unemployed and I don’t know how they will all pay rent and groceries
• Our kids, early in their careers, may soon lose their jobs
• My husband, a senior executive at a bank, is working constantly and will soon be exhausted
• Any of us may get sick
I don’t even remember now when Easter is this year.
Andrew’s trips have all been cancelled.
The Girl Guide cookie campaign is indefinitely postponed.
Did I mention that all our stores are closed?
Starting next Tuesday, I will do a post on what it feels like – at least to me – as a small business owner right now.
I will cover the practical: today, for example, at 2 I have a webinar presented free of charge by a law firm called “Advice for employers dealing with COVID-19”.
And I will cover the emotions, whatever I find those to be in the weeks ahead.
Stay well.
Jean