I have a confession to make. Sometimes when I am really tired in the afternoon and I am sure no one is watching - I curl up on the couch and close my eyes for a few minutes.

As we hurtle toward the holiday season I am filled with memories of holidays past. I think fondly of all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes that define the traditions of my family. It is easy to get caught up in the anticipation of these coveted moments - especially after so many of our holiday plans were cancelled last year.

The past eighteen months has challenged how we work together. Many of us are feeling disconnected, undervalued and burned out. And, though we are all working in different contexts with different challenges - we could all benefit from a short pause in our day to meaningfully connect with people over lunch.

I hope you had a great weekend. I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news. I recently created Community In Context LLC to house all my work under and to further build my consultancy.

As the cool air descends and the days start getting shorter, we can sense the season changing. As a kid this meant that my days of running around barefoot were being traded for new kicks, a heavy backpack and a return to more structured days.

The great re-emergence is upon us and if you are like me you are slowly inching your way back into society.

My sister brought home spinach last night, real live greens already harvested from her small plot in the nearby community garden. Lunch today was exponentially better with a hopeful salad bringing tidings of more of the green bounty to come.

As the sun grows stronger, the birds louder and the vaccination numbers larger by the day - I find myself gingerly picking up my gaze to the future. After months of not being able to make any plans - the fog seems to be lifting and we are finally starting to see a way forward.

The relentless news cycle will try to tell you differently - but you have to agree with me that you felt it too, right? If only for a fleeting moment, it almost felt like we touched upon some hope recently.

I admit I wanted to start out 2021 with some humor, some lightness and a few clever food analogies - but the events of last week have left me at a loss for words and out of jokes.