The Extraordinary Ordinary Things—Jennifer Bunting
Jennifer Bunting pictured with her family. Jennifer is the assistant dean of students for campus life and student conduct.
“We are seldom called to do extraordinary things,
but to do ordinary things with extraordinary attention and enthusiasm.”
~ St. Francis de Sales
As I sit outside in my car waiting for my son to come out of his orthodontist appointment, I cannot help but reflect on how much things have changed since March 2020. Before this all began, I was able to go inside with my kids to their orthodontist and doctor appointments; there was no need to have our temperatures checked or call the office when we arrived to confirm it was clear for us to come in. I did not have to worry if there was a mask in the car when I stopped at the grocery store.
In March, my daughter had just returned to her college campus from spring break to finish out her first year. It was my son’s freshman year in high school, and he had just made the JV baseball team. My sister and her fiancé were just over one month away from saying “I do.” In the blink of an eye, we realized we were about to enter very unknown and challenging times. This led to feelings of anxiety and concern about the health and well-being of our family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and community. Then I began to think about the parents of young children: How were they going to navigate this pandemic and try to keep structure for their little ones? I was thinking about college and high school seniors and their families as they would not be able to experience the traditional “lasts” and celebrations. When I thought about all of this, it brought disappointment and sadness.
But then I started to see how even during these unprecedented times there were actually some extraordinary times. Families with busy schedules running from work to dance classes to practices were now able to have dinner together; colleges and high schools having parades and putting out yard signs to help celebrate their students; local restaurants hung shower curtains and put their booths outside to protect their employees and customers; businesses provided additional and safer options to continue to keep their doors open; my sister had her wedding date change three times and planned an absolutely perfect way to celebrate their love. Ultimately, it made me realize that sometimes we need to take a step back to appreciate that the small things are the big things.
Jennifer Bunting is the assistant dean of students for campus life and student conduct.