When I first kicked off the Quarantine Quizzes in the spring, I did so thinking it would be a fun way to inject some lighter fare into a heavy time. Being both a trivia junkie and also the keeper of our Anniversary Page, I figured I had at least three or four good quizzes-worth of information. Having been a parent myself once upon a time, I also thought it might be a clever way of keeping the interest of kids or teens who might be the tiniest bit hungry for random food facts.
It's now been five months since I launched those quizzes. Five months, 15 quizzes, and countless facts I've combed through in my search for quiz questions. At times, I've felt like I missed my calling and that perhaps I should have been a teacher instead of a writer. Granted, I would've been the teacher that always did pop quizzes, but I digress.
My family already has two teachers in it. My younger sister teaches high school and my sister-in-law teaches kindergarten. Between the two of them and my mom—a nurse—I'm surrounded by caring and nurturing humans who often put others' needs in front of their own.
As the family group chat has gone back and forth about what our state is doing with students, I've sat on the sidelines and listened. I've tried to practice empathy and kindness with what my sister and sister-in-law are concerned about as teachers as well as what my friends are concerned about with their own children. I've sat back, I've listened, and I've experienced immense amounts of gratitude over the fact that I don't have to make a decision like what my sisters and my friends are making.
When it comes to events transpiring around me, I try not to be a quick-reactor. I do my best to research all points of arguments so that I can understand where each side is coming from. I may not have a dog or a pony in a race, but by golly I'd sure like to know if the race might have a broader impact on the world around me. The discussions going on about what to do about school, schooling, and children this year has left me perplexed, but not in a way you may think.
I've come to the conclusion that we, as adults, need to put down our big boy and girl briefcases and remember some of the most basic fundamentals of humanity: To Be Kind To One Another.
I'm not saying my exercises in empathy are the only way, but to watch, read, or listen to some people bash others makes me wonder if we all need a gigantic time-out to think about what we've done to each other.
Maybe we do all need to go back to school. Maybe we need to remember that the bully on the playground was usually the one who was the most insecure and that the people who are eager to learn and to teach are usually the ones who you want to be around.
Erin Hallstrom is the resident geek and Swiss Army Knife of FoodProcessing.com and the author of our Working Wit blog, she's responsible for the digital strategy for FoodProcessing.com including posting content, managing social media, and analyzing reader data. She's a Toastmaster, a Black Belt in Karate, and an Improv Performer to boot. Erin also is a founding member of the Influential Women in Manufacturing program, the creator and host of our Food For Thought podcast, and is a producer and host of our Manufacturing Tomorrow's Workforce podcast. Give her a shout-out or get in touch with her via email.
