It’s very foggy outside the Chamber office in the Historic Ironwood Depot today–a good metaphor for the Covid-19 conditions that we are all living through. What is the way forward for our economies and social order? It certainly looks very “foggy” now, and the straight patch of sunlight is not yet to be seen. Nevertheless, these days of being “fogbound” do offer a positive opportunity to reflect, plan, and start taking the beginning steps toward the re-opening of both economic enterprise and community personal interactions. Every business and organization will have no doubt discovered or been introduced to new ways of doing things– communication, sales, production, budgeting–as Covid-19 has been a force that has generated innovation. As many are saying, “coming out on the other side” will not be a return to what was before. New occasions teach new ways of thinking and acting. Through the fog, we cannot clearly see now exactly the shape of things to come, but there is no doubt many aspects of our lives and businesses will be different going forward. One of the most important lessons will be the realization that we are all very interconnected and dependent upon each other at the local level!! For businesses to survive, they must be supported by the local community. For the community to survive, businesses will have to not only offer “the same” products and services as before Covid-19, but also continue with many of the innovative and community-serving actions that they implemented in direct response to Covid-19, that have shown to be strong and positive ways to help keep the community united. The sun will shine again! Let us all support and learn from each other so that we will be able to grow out into the light with a new sense of joy and renewal.
