It’s the Fall of 2019 and I’m on one last road trip before the end of the year. As I’m standing in the TSA line at BNA, a thought crosses my mind.
What will I do when I stop traveling and lose all my precious status?
As of now, I’m TSA Pre-Check along with CLEAR. I am A-List Preferred on Southwest Airlines, Diamond Member at Hilton, and Emerald Executive Elite with National Car. The only thing I don’t have is a membership to a fancy club like Delta and United travelers have, but I’m ok with that. Besides, I have a shit ton of free drink coupons for Southwest so that’s a win.
Travel is my identity. I’m a road warrior and proud of it. I’ve done workshops in 24 states and eight foreign countries. The airport and Hilton hotels are my second home. I can’t imagine doing this for much longer but can’t imagine not doing anymore. It’s who I am.
I average about 30+ weeks a year on the road. It’s a lonely life, but the connections with clients and being around the bustle of an airport dampens that. I don’t have time for friendships but honestly, I don’t feel I need them.
The holidays come and go and its now February 28, 2020. I’m home from a trip to Connecticut. 2020 has been busy and my calendar is full all the way through Summer. Even though I’m a little worn out, I’m excited for a prosperous year.
By this time, COVID has morphed from a problem in China to being on our doorstep. It begins striking nursing homes in Washington State. Then a bunch of sick passengers from a cruise ship are flown to the USA and quarantined. I joked with the guy in the middle seat next to me on my last flight about how we should probably wear a mask. But now, it’s not a joke.
Within a few weeks, most of my calendar empties. People are beginning to quarantine, and work and schools go remote. There is no more business travel.
Our son and his partner Yuze leave Miami and ask to move in with us for a while. Dustin was moving on from Amazon and looking for something on the West Coast. It’s a wonderful time. Since we can’t do much outside the house other than food shop, we just spend time on the property with each other.
My business has shifted to virtual, and I rent an office in nearby Dickson since I have satellite internet on the property. I do virtual SHRM talks, training sessions, and I ramp up my podcast. My friend Sharon Armstrong introduces me to wonderful guests, and I befriend many of them. I spend lots of time during the day meeting with people on Zoom. Strangely, I feel more connected to the world during a time it’s nearly impossible to connect with the world.
Those new friends I meet introduce me to their friends, and I feel like I have a tribe. We often do virtual happy hours. I have a bottle of JD in my office just for those occasions.
By 2022, with COVID in the rear-view mirror, life and business returned to normal. Now it was 5AM flights out of BNA which left little time for those connections. I was busy. So was everyone else.
And life went on.
You know the rest of the COVID story. While I once thought life would never get back to normal, (remember we all talked about the “new normal?”) I see in fact we have. We don’t think twice about going to the movies or seeing a concert or flying someplace.
Last month, I had a Zoom meeting with a colleague I met during COVID. She was a podcast guest. I realized we hadn’t spoken in a couple of years, but during COVID, we were in touch a bit more. It was great catching up and we both agreed to do better about staying in touch.
That made me realize I rarely reach out to colleagues anymore. I also realize I miss them. When life got back to normal, those tight connections didn’t seem important. It didn’t bother me at first. It was subtle. The fact I enjoy solitude made those relationships slip away without me realizing it.
This was the inspiration for the story you’re reading. And a reminder to me to nurture relationships and not let them go. We need each other. I always push your INNER CIRCLE, but it sure doesn’t hurt to just have people to hang with, virtually or in person.
Last week, nearly five years after COVID appeared, I had a virtual happy hour with my good friend Steve. It felt really good. I realized how much I appreciated that connection and catching up. Next up is my happy hour with my old friend Kurt who I’ve been promising to get together with for some time. I also have two Zoom catch up meetings this week too.
What are you doing to keep and maintain your relationships? They are a lot like plants. Without attention, they will wilt and fade.
Let’s not let that happen, ok?