Sweeping Historical Fiction Set

learning curve for her family.

“A big day-to-day change in our house has been incorporating distance learning into our routines,” she said. “While I do have the luxury of working from home, I still need to squeeze in a full eight-hour day. But in addition to that, I’ve needed to make time to help my two youngest children with their education. The youngest is only in second grade, and needs my guidance and ‘teaching’ every day.”

If there are any silver linings regarding this new way of teaching our kids, perhaps it is an increased sensitivity for the incredibly hard work of our kids' teachers. Hiemenz said she has “a lot more respect for the teachers who have had to completely rethink and restructure the way they get information across to their students, especially given the short timeline they had to put it all together.”

The pandemic has also exposed the plight of underprivileged families, such as a lack of reliable internet connectivity, and the fact that many children don't have access to a nutritious lunch while not attending school in person. Many school districts are now planning to address some of these discrepancies.

Socialization

Between social distancing, masks and recommendations to stay home, we’ve all struggled to find ways to stay connected.

Hiemenz has a particularly important reason to keep her distance: she is also a caregiver for her mother, who is disabled and has multiple health issues.

“I have to be very conscious about where I've been and who I've been in contact with before heading to her house to care for her,” Hiemenz said.

As a result, Hiemenz and her family have made outdoor adventures a priority. But her family looks forward to the day life returns to normal.

“I miss everything,” she said. “Going out with friends, concerts and sporting events.”

Ferguson said she has made an effort to maintain personal connections.

“I made virtual lunch dates, dinner dates, happy hours, etc., so that I could maintain the connections that are so important to a happy life,” she said. “I’m looking forward to cocktails on the deck, boating with friends, traveling the world, and seeing my family. I haven’t seen my brother or my niece in over a year. I cannot wait to hug them!”

Johnson said she misses family and hugs.

“I’m a hugger,” she said. “I miss being out doing things and running into friends, colleagues and acquaintances. I miss inviting friends over for dinner or drinks. I miss concerts, theater, sporting events and all the ‘big things’ that bring us together and make us smile.”

Silver linings

Despite the many, many challenges of this past year, all three women acknowledge a few silver linings.

Ferguson said one life lesson she has learned is that she needs and misses connections with people, both personal and professional.

“I have also learned that just because the world shuts down doesn’t mean you have to shut yourself down to the world,” she said. “I can still learn, I can still serve the community, I can still have fun, and I can still do my job.”

“A positive thing that happened over the past year,” Ferguson said, “is that I joined my local volunteer fire department (the Colvin Volunteer Fire Department in Makinen, Minnesota), and recently passed my firefighters exams. The only way this education and commitment to my local community was possible was because I was not traveling for work and I could work remotely.”

Johnson said she tries to be positive.

“And while this past year has been challenging, I fully acknowledge and appreciate the silver linings,” she said. “Most of all, the time our family has spent together. I have watched my two girls truly become each other’s best friend. I always thought of myself as an involved parent, but being with them

24/7 and actively taking part in teaching them and assisting with their education, I know them on a different level now than I would have without COVID-19.”

This too shall pass

Despite so many challenges, we are all doing our best to stay positive.

“While I miss a lot of things and I’m looking forward to my children going back to school,

I realize that all of these inconveniences are temporary,” Johnson said.

“I’ve lost some friends this past year, but we’ve been fortunate to be healthy and safe in our house,” she added. “Knowing that, I can accept the temporary pause on ‘normal life,’ find silver linings to appreciate, and know that this too shall pass.

“Eventually, we will come out of it, hopefully with a newer gratitude for some of the little things we used to take for granted.” D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.

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