Gratitude after year in the fishbowl
Saturday, March 13, marks the oneyear anniversary that The Maritime Aquarium closed its doors, initially for a two-week period to help “flatten the curve.” That was extended by two more weeks, then a month, then ultimately more than three months before we tentatively opened our doors again in late June under the governor’s carefully balanced prescriptions.
On that day one year ago, little did we know what the year would hold for us as a community, or as a nation — the devastating loss of life; the economic collapse; the upheaval in our education system; the social isolation; the exposure of fissures of injustice and inequity. We only felt fear, uncertainty, hesitation, panic and a certain helplessness over the rapid and pervasive ravages of a virus we didn’t know or understand.
At The Maritime Aquarium, our decision to close our doors came just a few days before the rest of the nation shut down entirely. Westchester and Fairfield counties were among the first areas of the country to see widespread cases, and those counties are home to most of our guests and members. In addition to acting on behalf of their safety, we wanted to lead by example and promote the need to act quickly in following the science — which dictates a precautionary approach in the face of uncertainty.
At the same time that we were furloughing staff and confronting the financial implications of closing even for a short period, we also knew we needed to continue to fulfill our mission and serve our community, especially as other community institutions and traditional pillars were crumbling. We promoted a new “Virtual Aquarium” and introduced keeper talks and other activities for the public, and we quickly established a comprehensive portfolio of education programs for both families and schools, for all grades pre-K through high school, every day of the week, with live, interactive educators leading the sessions. By the time we re-opened, registrations for our programs included families from more than 40 states, countries across four continents, and millions of viewers online. And when we reopened, we did so with completely new protocols and practices, to make it as safe as possible for our guests.
That we were able to do this and get to the light of the end of the tunnel that we see before us today is a testament to so many, who deserve thanks and recognition.
First and foremost, it is to those frontline workers who kept the bare skeletons of society together during the darkest moments of the pandemic — and not just the doctors and nurses and medical teams keeping individuals on life-support, but the store clerks, delivery drivers and public sector workers who kept society on life-support. Within The Maritime Aquarium,
The biggest lesson is to continue to trust and have faith in our human resolve and generosity. The stories of individual heroism and collective action motivated us, reassured us, inspired us, propelled us forward.
it is to the animal-husbandry team and operations staff, working in isolated cohorts and over long hours seven days a week to care for 7,000 animals.
It is to the teachers and educators who invented new ways overnight to continue to engage children and maintain educational classes and programs as best as they can.
It is to the political and civic leaders here in Connecticut, who made extraordinarily difficult decisions with limited information, and profound consequences affecting every aspect of our society and our economy.
It is to the individuals and families and public at large here in Connecticut, who respected those decisions, and abided by the new normal that was created — canceling vacations, avoiding gatherings, social distancing, wearing masks.
It is to our national political leaders who recognized the financial support desperately needed by individuals and institutions, and opened up the federal coffers to provide that support last year, and even this week.
That The Maritime Aquarium itself has been able to survive this period, we owe enormous gratitude to the incredibly generous donors, big and small, who helped bridge the gap between our lost revenues and our ongoing expenses in providing for our animals. In just the three months of closure, we lost more than $3 million in revenue, and our donors helped us cover much of that. And we owe gratitude to those who visited us during these months of uncertainty.
So — as more of us are getting vaccinated; as more places are opening up; as the stock market sets new records — what are the lessons for us after this tragic and turbulent year?
One lesson is to trust in the science. Science dictated quick closures in the beginning, shaped our conduct for the year, and opened the door to a series of vaccinations in record time. As we saw elsewhere around the country, those who ignored the science did so at their own peril.
Another lesson is to take necessary precautions at every juncture. Whether it is in science, health or financial wellbeing, being overly cautious benefited all of us throughout this year.
A third lesson is to exercise creativity and innovation. We saw countless examples across the world of inventing new ways to engage, entertain and find meaning when it was needed most.
The biggest lesson is to continue to trust and have faith in our human resolve and generosity. The stories of individual heroism and collective action motivated us, reassured us, inspired us, propelled us forward.
And now, one year after entering this dark, devastating tunnel, we see the possibility of emerging in the near future, timed well with spring and a rebirth of nature. But even as we emerge, we know, as there often is on any journey, more tunnels further ahead, and these lessons will serve us well.