Norma Williams
I had started my year of 2020 with so much hope and anticipation. After all, the magic and elegance in the arrangement of the numbers 2 and 0 dictated that there was nothing normal about this year; it had to be amazing. Professionally, I kicked off the year with two ‘Fire Branded’ Customer Experience sessions and I felt it: This was going to be my year of ‘20 PLENTY’!
In my primary job at Caribbean Airlines, the CEO called for a brand refresh and I was asked to direct the project to produce uniform prototypes. 2020’s magic was all over me and the chosen contractors, Zilac and Shenna Carby, came right through.
As I sat absorbed in the epicness of the rehearsals in Trinidad and Tobago, watching my models cross the stage, we got the news. The next day, we were officially told of Tnt’s first COVID-19 case and the subsequent cancellation of the rebranding event. I was confused and disappointed: What had happened to the magic? We packed up our unused prototypes, watched the ‘pull down’ of the Hollywood-worthy set, hung our heads and sadly returned to Jamaica amidst the swirling rumours of a lockdown.
The lockdown came, and a misalignment was felt at my soul level. Dammit! The sky was our home and we had lost our wings. I developed a flu and self-quarantined. For the first in a very long time I was
forced to sit still; my thoughts were the most powerful they had ever been and I found my way closer to ‘me’ and it was magical.
My team was constantly on my mind. The wellbeing of the frontline workers was constantly on my mind. We visited with and treated hospital front-line staff. I became an online course/webinar addict and found courses for my team members to complete. We survived and, three months later, emerged better. We started to fly again as Ppe-covered hummingbirds.
I decided that it was full speed ahead with the rest of this magic. I had seen a side of 2020 that instructed that our perceptions did not have the right to dictate what magic looked like. The harsh reality of this new normal forced me to open my eyes so wide that I saw forms of magic that to me were new.
And there it was... there was magic in the birth of companies that featured unearthed talents such as Pretty Little Things, Declutter, Shop Local and Shop876kids. Pure magic in the waltzing pivots that gave rhythm to the Jamaica Observer’s webinar series, Jamaica and the Caribbean’s first ever online fashion event and my own online crew recurrent training class. Magic in the endurance and resilience of the front-line workers even to the detriment of themselves. Magic in the grit of the island’s children and their educators who faced the new academic world head-on and continued on the journey. Magic in the beauty of our own hidden island gems, discovered during staycations. Magic in the determination of those who lost income and continue to magically multiply and convert their bit into bounty.
Yes, 2020, you taught me well. The lesson: Look carefully and you will see magic.