Over the past few weeks, I have heard many stories of how people are coping during this time, and the common thread is how we have remained resilient and found inner strength. As a working parent of three school-aged children, I never in a million years imagined having to not only take good care of them, but also serve as their full-time teacher, while figuring out a way to complete day-to-day work responsibilities. As time moves on during this pandemic, I had to find other ways to celebrate the kid’s birthdays, control our urge not to go to their favorite playground, and find the right words to explain why they cannot visit their grandparents in person. This past weekend, we put on our face masks for safety, drove by their schools, waved at their friends’ houses, and gave flying kisses to their grandparents from a distance—these were heartbreaking adjustments but in our own small way— simple practices to feel normal and preserve a sense of connectedness.

My husband and I realized we have not spent this much time together at home—we each have to create our own little corners to telework, test online grocery shopping and take turns teaching kids math. Some days I lose the discipline of tracking time—work is no longer 8 a.m.-5 p.m., I maxi-flex my schedule, and now life each day is a blend of virtual meetings and calls plus homeschooling kids in between and praying that somewhere in between I have a chance to take a deep breath.

Despite all of this, I have found inner strength to focus on things I’m grateful for. I do enjoy seeing my kids laugh hysterically, admiring a sunset with my husband for the first time in a long time and listening to the birds chirp while drinking a cup of coffee. It has not been easy, and it requires coordination, patience and sometimes forgiveness, but we all depend on each other to make the most out of our new normal normal—to struggle, to survive, to grow, to learn and to thrive.

While many of our daily exchanges have been about COVID-19, the most extraordinary moments in my day are the awe-inspiring stories I’ve heard from so many of you, how you have found ways to dig deep within and lift your head high to overcome incredibly challenging circumstances. Some of you are afraid and know someone who is suffering from COVID-19. Some have spouses who have lost jobs, and some continue to go to work on the frontlines, understanding the oath they took could put them at risk.

Each day, every one of us has so many stories to tell. Regardless of the adversities we face, I am incredibly proud and grateful to be a member of the Forest Service and USDA, and to be among all of you serving in this greatest time of need in our nation’s history. One of the many things we do is protect water sources that downstream communities heavily depend upon for clean water to help mitigate COVID-19 and sustain farmlands that the country relies for its food security. We are the guardians of our national forests and grasslands that will live on for future generations, our research stations tirelessly work on cutting-edge science that have real world impacts, and our Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers provide training that creates a bridge to economic opportunity for the next generation of firefighters and conservation leaders to come. This is why no matter how hard each day gets, I roll up my sleeves and keep trying my best.

This COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything as we used to know it and our realities have been altered. Leaders across the Forest Service are working together to ensure that each of you have the latest information to stay safe and continue to adjust to new tools and policies impacting our work environment. However, there are some questions we do not have answers to yet, and that is OK. Some of the tough questions being asked are: when will we be able to return to the office and what will it look like when we return to the office? These are unknowns at this time.

Rest assured, Chief Vicki Christiansen and other leaders are working hard monitoring USDA and federal guidelines to think this through and have a reopen plan that is reasonably safe and conducive for effective continuity of our mission. Safety for employees has always been leadership’s top priority and it will remain in the forefront of any planning efforts for returning to the office. 

As we continue to look out for each other, remember that while you draw sustenance from helping others in their time of need, please also be mindful of your own needs too. When you share tirelessly to help others, you can get run down and lose the ability to keep helping. Even the toughest among us may appear unfazed by current events, but underneath it all they may be running their battery down dangerously low. Often those who share the most, need the most. So watch each other’s backs. Giving support and also being open to receiving support are incredible ways to keep each other safe. Find ways to rejuvenate yourself so you can start each day fresh, making hope more real, and educate yourself about the virus and guidance coming from USDA and CDC. Practice proper safety precautions while remaining connected in this new virtual environment—be more powerful than the virus. Take care and reach out to others when you need support, the Employee Assistance Program is available too.

As you go about your day, no matter how difficult, we’re in this together. Keep trying—you’ve got this!

Thank you for all you do.