Planning for Change at 3 AM (With the Help of Coffee)

I found myself wide awake this morning at 3 AM, staring at my ceiling with a million thoughts running through my head.

Coffee sounds really good right now.

I need to get that project done.

Wow, my dog snores loud.

What meetings do I have today?

Is my dog's snoring somehow getting louder?

So as I stood there at the coffee pot waiting for it to beep, I started thinking about the question, "How'd we get here?" It feels like one of the most common questions asked lately in the news, in Zoom meetings, and on the phone during the unwarranted political rantings of your second favorite uncle. And as I, too, began falling into the pit of the many answers to that question, the glorious beep came from my coffee maker and yanked me from that rabbit hole.

With the bold and heavenly aromas of freshly brewed coffee beans wafting through the air, a new question popped into my head, "Where are we headed?" I'm not sure how often we've discussed this question. I mean, that's understandable, especially when we don't fully understand our present situation and any attempts to look into the future is like trying to see through the deliciously dark brown pot of hot coffee that I poured into my favorite "Daddy is the best" mug.

That idea of where are we headed posed an interesting dilemma, though. At what point can we move from trying to understand the past and begin setting new goals with plans to get there? That posed a whole new set of questions that got me excited.

How do we get to a place where anti-racism is the standard for every system and institution?

How do we get to be a society where our citizens do not have to fear sexual discrimination, harassment, or assault?

How do we turn our organizations into enablers of change and empower every employee with equity and access?

How do we create the world for our children and grandchildren that once felt like only a dream?

Instead of asking how did we get here, I started asking how do we get there.

I can't tell if it was the already half gone cup of dark roast or what but I was feeling really energized by this point. We can turn our contempt of the past and fear of the unknown into a commitment to change our future and establish bold goals for what's possible.

We have the capacity for change, a battle-tested resolve, and a movement driven by youthful energy and experienced wisdom. I see friends, colleagues, and communities driven to make a change and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. I see the look in my daughter's eyes when she has wonder and optimism for the future shaped through hope and an inherent desire for good. We can get there.

As I drink the last bit of coffee left in my cup, I feel a sense of determination and optimism. Determined to do today what is good for tomorrow and optimistic that it will make a difference. Determined to get a second cup of coffee and optimistic it will be a good as the first. And I am determined to unite with others in the effort for a brighter future and optimistic that together we can get there.