Editorial

Perspective is a funny thing. As I write this, I’m in my dining room with a make-shift office set up by my dear husband, because So Cal is under another mandatory lockdown. And I’m fighting mad…or at least I was an hour ago.

Here I sat, angry that no one was calling me back to confirm their Directory listings, annoyed that Californians can’t seem to wear masks long enough to avoid another shutdown, frustrated because I have to figure out what to make for dinner…again. But as we all have learned this year, things can change on a dime.

I just got a call that my family was exposed to Coronavirus by someone working in our home. And right after that, my dad called to say his stomach problems are back and he’s really sick. Cue the panic…

What if one of us has “it” and I’ve just exposed my father who pods with us, my mother who just visited for outside dinner the week before, even the husband of my friend who picked something up at my house, albeit both masked, wondering if he gets it from me and brings it home to his wife who is severely immuno-compromised.

Suddenly, I’m not so worried that the Directory will mail before Christmas, or whether or not Congress passes another stimulus, or that RePlay even survives this pandemic. All I can think about is how long I have to wait for test results and how long I have to wait for a text from Pop before I make the long drive up to his house assuming the worst.

The holidays have always been a time to take stock of what’s really important and to acknowledge the tremendous gifts we’ve all received this year. Yes, our industry is mostly closed. There’s no denying the crushing financial burdens some of us are dealing with, maybe for the first time. And many in our coin-op community have gotten Covid and, tragically, a couple have even died. But at the end of the day, we have so very much to be grateful for. Family, friends, work that fulfills and sustains us, and hopefully, good health for the people we love and care about the most. Despite my fears, I’m going to try and focus on the things that really matter.

Oh, my dad is much better and we don’t have Covid. See? It’s getting better already.

A happy, healthy and gratitude-filled New Year to all of us.

–– Ingrid Adlum Milkes