Page 6 - Mar-Apr 23 Reporter

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

LEARNING FROM

LOCKDOWN

TREVOR SMALL
LBMAO President

t is hard to believe that it has been three years since the country I have attended three trade shows in the recent past. All were well
Iwas shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic. March 16, 2020, Canada attended and had great numbers of exhibitors. The Toronto Auto
announced that the borders would be closing to non-essential traffic. show even had to turn away people from attending one day because
Schools were closed, stores were closed. Government buildings the show was too full. People are anxious to see things that they have
and churches were locked. Visits to family and friends were halted. We been unable to in person. It was so great to get to see friends, clients
were told to stay at home. Unless you urgently needed to get groceries, and vendors – not on a screen, but in the same room.
you were ordered to be at home. (Some people are still looking at the What have we learned from this time? I think it is important to
stockpile of toilet paper they acquired during this time) reflect on the changes that have happened to our lives in the past
Our lives changed forever over a brief few weeks. three years. They say those that don’t learn from the past are doomed
I remember the weeks leading up to the closure. My wife Krista and to repeat it.
I were thinking of taking a March break cruise. People were cancelling What I learned is to take those who are important to you, your
trips because they feared COVID would spread, and the prices of the family and friends and spend some time with them. Our first grand
cruise had gotten very cheap. While I always have an eye out for a deal, child was born during the lockdown and we couldn’t see my son
(I never like to overpay) my wife was the voice of reason and cancelled Kevin, our daughter-in-law Meaghan and we couldn’t hold our sweet
that plan before I spent any money. I had no fear, thought it was a bad little granddaughter Oakleigh. When the US border opened in
flu and that everything would blow over quickly. Clearly, I am not a November of 2021 we attended every home game and almost every
doctor, nor do I play one on TV. We stayed at home for March break. We road game our daughter Allison played for the Syracuse University
were happy not to be one of the people stranded on a cruise ship that women’s hockey team. I try to get to see my mom and dad as much as
was not allowed to dock, filled with people with COVID. possible, even if it only for a short visit. You never know when those
Our daughter was attending university in the United States at the visits will end.
time. She was always a 5-hour drive away so we had no fear about COVID has made it clear to me that life needs balance. We now
what may happen to her. When the border closure was announced she have tools to make work less complicated. Zoom meetings cut the
was able to drive home. We all thought this may last a few days, maybe unnecessary travel but it is still nice to see a client or co-worker in
a week, two at the most. Wow was that wrong! person.
In my home, things became chaos. My wife is a schoolteacher who Three years ago, normal life stopped. I am happy we are back and
teaches music (mostly instrumental) to grades 4-8. She had to figure hope that our lives will never be put on hold again.
out a way to teach 25 kids at a time how to play an instrument over a
zoom call. The three of us were all working from home. One teaching
school, one taking theoretical economics classes and me trying to
make sales. The sounds from the zoom music classes made me wish
we had a larger home. We made do because that what Canadians do
when faced with problems.
It seems like it happened just yesterday, but we have come so far.

6 LBMAO Reporter - March-April 2023 www.lbmao.on.ca