We Got This

August 24, 2020 BY Kelly C. Bawden, MS, CCC-SLP

There is a tendency in times of upheaval and challenge to look for the meaning behind the strife or at the very least a lesson to be learned. Challenges force us to stretch and grow and change whether we want to or not, and often prompt us to reflect on where we’ve been and contemplate where we’re going next. But even as we feel the need to reflect, we are called to prepare for a school year that promises only to be unlike any we’ve ever seen.

At Hello, the struggles of recent months have laid bare some essential truths. While life as we knew it unraveled, we were reminded of the power of community, and of the unbreakable bonds that link us all together. We’ve watched previously unimaginable problems arise and then borne witness to people supporting and inspiring one another, sharing and collaborating, creating solutions seemingly out of thin air. In our isolation, we came to know that there is only one way through all of this, and that’s together. 

And then, the most salient lesson: We Got This.

That might seem rather arrogant and even foolish at first blush. And maybe it is. But we don’t think so, and here’s why: the most important word in that phrase is “We.”

Obstacles can seem overwhelming when they’re faced alone. But something magical happens when we open the door to let others in. They bring with them solutions we’d never thought of, companionship and commiseration, and the reminder that a weight shared is a weight lightened. Humans were not meant to do life alone, and when we work together, there’s nothing we can’t handle.

The year ahead may feel daunting and uncertain. We don’t have all of the answers. But we are here, we are together, and we have hope. No matter what happens next, we’re going to be ok. So, whether it’s exclaimed as a rallying cry, reassuringly stated when others are wavering, or whispered in quiet comfort during a difficult moment, this year, we’ll be saying “We Got This.”