Like many, pre-pandemic life seemed so hurried, and sometimes chaotic, in a different type of way. Getting into the car and heading for the highway took on more effort and thought as you headed towards your destination. Luckily, talk radio shows and audiobooks were available to keep you company as you sat in traffic and reflecting on having to stop by for gas yet again during the same week! All things necessary, and costly. Working to live and not necessarily living seemed to have been the mantra for many of us. Of course, there are some who have been fortunate enough to figure out this balance of life and work. Then the pandemic hit, and life pushed us outside our comfort zone (or maybe it was just the zone that we were used to) causing us to slow it down. At first, the shock of what was happening overwhelmed our minds with panic. The unknown of what tomorrow may bring was enough for many of us to do a mad dash to the stores to grab what we could to save our households. As our cities began to shut down, we felt uneasy, then unsure, then silent, holding our breath for what's next. Yet, within that silence, that much needed silence, we began to breathe. While not easy, we began to open our eyes and gather what was around us, often taking in what we hadn't before. The roads became less congested, figuratively, and metaphorically. Within the panic, and the uneasiness, a sense of calm and opportunity began to arise. An opportunity to seek and to learn in another way. An opportunity to redirect and to start over. A chance to slow down and breathe in a different way.