As we prepare to ‘lose’ an hour with spring Daylight Saving’s beginning in the wee hours of tomorrow morning, I have caught myself thinking about this week in March four years ago. I (Lora) was in a show with the New York Deaf Theatre and our run was cut short due to Covid. We lost at least a week of performances. What we initially thought would be a 2 – 3 week hiatus from life as we knew it became a pandemic that continues to impact us on a daily basis. As I think about where I am now in relation to where I was then, I have mixed emotions. I was worried about my parents and other loved ones. It was an incredibly challenging time with tragic loss of lives and jobs, and a blow to many small businesses.
Baby Fingers, though, seemed to thrive. We moved our classes and programs to a virtual platform (mostly Zoom) almost immediately. One class of 12 families dwindled down to 8 due to feelings about screen time – but new classes emerged and people from all over the country wound up able to access our services. It was ideal for those who had no other social contact or no other connections to ASL. Creating music together uplifted moods while providing a sense of purpose and community.
As a business owner in the ‘people’ industry, I dove head first into keeping our community active, connected, and welcoming. I believe we’ve thrived. So rather than thinking about the hour we’ll lose when the clocks change, I am actually feeling grateful for all that I’ve gained over these past few years. I appreciate our team and our participants, our hosts and partners. I welcome you to celebrate spring with us, whether you live near or far, here at Baby Fingers.
[And if you have special tips or tricks for smooth sleep during Daylight Savings, or anytime, please share with us so we can share with the whole community!]