Take Time to Reflect this Holiday Season
As I sit to write this year's Christmas message it is almost unfathomable to realize what we have been through in the past ten months. The world as a whole, our country, the province of B.C., and certainly the tourism industry has been challenged in a way we have never experienced in this generation. Not one among us could have anticipated in December of 2019 where we would be in 2020 as we approached the holiday season.
Tremendous loss has permeated this year's story, be it through business, individual employment, personal freedom, or worst of all, lives. We have been under attack by an unknown, invisible enemy and no longer feel safe in the company of our own friends and family, let alone strangers. Uncertainty and anxiety have touched even the most strong and certainly have caused vulnerable individuals to be even more so.
While it is very hard to accept what is taking place and how so much has dramatically changed in a short time, it is equally important to remember that this will end. With the arrival of the vaccine, we know that while it will take time there is an end in sight and we will before too long, go back to a new version of normal.
Perhaps, there is an opportunity to appreciate the possibilities of what lay ahead in the quiet and silence of these holidays. To remind ourselves of what we truly hold dear and as and when life begins to resume, that we ensure we do not take "regular life" for granted. Spending time with others, traveling, visiting, gathering together, will all resume in the weeks and months to come and we may never again have a moment to pause and reflect on what is important.
My wish for all of us this holiday season is that we can take this time to consider how we want to be different, better, more considerate, more appreciative of all that we have and all that is possible for the future. That we find contentment in our own company, peace in our own thoughts, and the strength to get through this period in history. And, while it is not the same, we can still stay connected through the marvels of the modern technology, making sure those around us, both near and far, know that they are in our hearts and minds.
Be Kind, Be Calm, Stay Healthy
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
- Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO
