How was our year? Do you really want to know?
Normally when someone would ask us any such question, we would slide down our rainbow, sprinkle you with pixie dust and tell you we have the best job in the world and we had a wonderful year.
This year was difficult. You might be forgiven for thinking that these difficulties were all Covid related and that we were worried about our business, but actually that is not the case.
Yes, usually this time of year we are buzzing, planning for the coming year, making charts and lists, excited by what we want to do and achieve in our world of art and photography.
Yes, the Studio is now closed for the 3rd time due to restrictions.
Yes, we have another round of postponing client’s appointments, feeling their disappointment.
Yes, we may have weeks, or months, trying to keep an energy in the business, in ourselves.
BUT….. that is all ok. We have wonderful loyal clients and we do good work. We are not worried about that. Covid makes it more difficult but not impossible.
There is more to life than work.
So just for today, we are going to leave the pixie dust aside and if someone asks, “How was your year?”. This is the reply. (we will pick back up our pixie dust at the end)
2020 was Difficult, Exhausting and Heart Breaking.
Now I really have a lot more words to describe 2020 but I am born of an era that it still seems rude to write those words down… but you can use your imagination.
Normally, we try to “put our brave faces on”, “focus on the positive”, “practice gratitude”.
You know… it could be a lot worse. We know it is a lot worse for a lot of people.
Sometimes trying to stay positive is exhausting!! Just for today we are giving ourselves permission to stop, to tell it as it is. It’s ok not to feel ok… for a wee while!
2020 has been a difficult year. Covid was a part of that…. But far from all of it.
We have been worried, really worried , upset, we have coped with grief and stress. We have gotten through days with knots in our stomachs and tears in our eyes.
NONE of this was to do with our business… it was all about the people we loved.
Illness of loved ones, countless trips to hospitals where we sat outside and waited, death of a loved one, not being able to support those we love because we could not travel, not being able to give or get a hug from some of our loved ones, missing important birthday’s and events. Add into the mix, restricted movements, self isolation. A difficult cocktail to swallow.
(YES, I know so did everyone else and some have much harder stories ….. but this is our story, our rant!)
Can you see the pattern? This year was difficult because it blocked LOVE. It blocked how you could SHOW love, how you could GIVE love, how you could RECEIVE love.
Don’t get me wrong, we continued and we got through it. Love will always find a way.
As it turned out, in the end the only thing we were not worried about was our business.
Heyday Studios is fine and healthy.
Our clients make it so.
Thank you to each and every one of you, not just for your business but for your kind words, your constant understanding, your love and care of what we do.
Heyday Studios is loved.
Now that we have given you an honest reflection of the year, we will shake off the shadow of 2020, we will look forward to 2021, we will once again sprinkle the pixie dust.
What is in the pixie dust…. HOPE and LOVE.
Business is just business.
Pauline & Ciara
xx
(Words by Pauline. Images by Ciara. The Sentiment by both of us!)
