At this time of year, reflection makes a lot of sense. The year is almost over, we have two big holidays ahead and the first one naturally leads to think about what one can be thankful for. An attitude of gratitude is a great thing to have generally speaking, but especially at this time of the year – and especially in the year this has been.
So to that end, it’s time for me to put my gratitude out there all the way around.
First, I am grateful to the man above, for with God all things are possible. I am blessed for every new day on this planet and the health to allow me to continue.
I am immensely grateful for my family, from my parents and siblings to my wife and now five-year-old son, all the way down to my in-laws and the most distant of cousins. We are in a sense a typical family – far from perfect, but when the chips are down we know we have each other. And at a time like this, we need each other more than ever, especially the ones we’re around all the time because seeing those we are not around all the time is an after-thought for the time being.
I am grateful for the people in my life, both personally and professionally. In recent years I have built a far bigger network than I could have ever imagined growing up a reserved kid from a tiny suburb of Boston. Included are some incredible people doing incredible things, impacting many lives and industries, and making our lives better whether directly or indirectly. I enjoy finding out about all of this and learning in more depth, and along the way some of it can directly benefit me.
In light of that, it’s worth noting that because of COVID-19, this has been dampened a bit this year in one sense. In-person events have naturally been at a standstill since March, so my last real memories of such events come from occasions like LinkedInLocal Merrimack Valley, which was a great evening in Lawrence seemingly many years ago but actually less than 10 months ago. As I have reflected before, that series of events has been a game-changer, but they have been on hold like others.
From there, I am blessed to have been part of many virtual events, including networking and among them LinkedInLocal. While this is a bit of a different twist for LinkedInLocal, whose essence is about getting to know the people behind the profiles and meeting in person – where business still gets done – it has been a wonderful alternative. I also had the chance to check out a few events that I otherwise almost certainly would not have, and much has come from them.
I am grateful for the wonderful situation I am in with my job. The work itself is fulfilling, but I am blessed to have had over a year and a half of amazing growth. I have had great management, including at levels above my immediate managers, and work alongside some terrific engineers that have helped me to grow both in and out of the facility. One in particular stands out for reasons I’ll talk about at a later time, but the brief version is that the connection I have made with him has been a great one, and his immense experiences benefit anyone fortunate to know him, myself included.
As much as anything, I am blessed to have the opportunities I have to make a difference, and there are many. There is much to look forward to with all of them, from being part of a committee in the New Hampshire Tech Alliance to being invited to help newly-minted graduates of programs for people changing careers into technology, to speaking about topics like networking and mentoring others. While all of this helps the industry I am in, it impacts lives and gives me more growth opportunities, challenging me to be better all the time and learn from how others got here.
Speaking of mentoring, one of the virtual events I alluded to earlier led to one such opportunity. From the Open Source Summit came a connection with the founder of the Black Technology Mentorship Program, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my years of experience and knowledge with others coming up through the ranks. As I already mentor one recent graduate who is very much off and running in their career through another connection, the satisfaction is impossible to put into words, especially seeing their appreciation for taking an interest in them. All too often, someone just needs another person to take an interest in them to give them just what they need to take off in their lives.
Through all of this, 2020 has seen something I long held dear come to a close. Long thought to be unthinkable, Hoopville is being sunset after well over 18 years of being part of it and 19 seasons of independent college basketball coverage. I am at peace with it, and forever grateful that I had the opportunity to live the dream for so long. The memories will live on and the blessings of it all will never shrink.
While there is over a month to go, 2020 is shaping up to be a year that has been wonderful personally but very hard on the soul. I am grateful to have my health and no job effects save for having to work mostly from home for over three months, but I know many have lost one or both or have seen family and friends experience that. In a sense, on the bottom line my year has proceeded as if the virus never happened, from completing numerous training courses to attending conferences to growing my professional network by leaps and bounds as if I went to an in-person event every few days.
All of this has left me grateful for my place in life in every sense, and has only further motivated me to play a role in helping others reach a station in life they can feel good about as well. Indeed, while the results in 2020 have been great for me, there has still be a lot of groundwork laid for future success and impact, and the opportunity to harness it all is one more thing to be grateful for. My hope is that all of you likewise have much to be grateful for, and similarly have much to look forward to.