Card games at my grandparent’s house were packed with family, tons of seafood and drinks, Church’s chicken and a good ol’ card game of Bid. 

Bid was and is one of those games that we took seriously. Like yelling and table flipping serious, especially if you ‘trumped’ (no pun intended) someone or hit a Boston. The last few weeks have felt like we’ve been dealt a bad hand in Bid. Everyone’s living life and having fun, but because we’re emotionally tied to winning and losing, the game just dictates the night.

Corona has dealt us a bad hand . . . globally. However, I’d like for us to look at everything outside of the ‘game’ – even distanced, we still have the camaraderie, but even more so. Yes, many of us, including me are currently out of work and hanging in the balance of what’s going to happen next. Cities are shut down, businesses have closed, but we’ve proven before that when we stick together . . . work together and assist each other, we can and will make it through this AND come out greater. 

I met Lisa Leslie a few weeks ago, in the midst of her own personal tragedies. It was there at the conference that I realized every good and bad thing up until that moment had collectively led me to the room she was in. . . and it was because of my reliance and relationships with others. If you don’t know, Hi, I’m Charisse and a crying cancer.

My Suit: Here at Target!

While I silently hid my tears at the table, I was even more enamored at Leslie and her story. She especially spoke highly of family and friends that continuously supported her endeavors and the huge role education and community played in her career and life. It reminded me of my own journey:

Through self evolution and entrepreneurship, we need people (family, friends, supporters, etc.) and we need to learn how to pivot or we will not evolve or thrive.

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When we think of athletes and their personal sacrifice, it’s almost unimaginable to think of the daunting challenges a professional athlete or Olympian may face and overcome, but here we are – a human race gearing up, faced with and challenged with something that is changing our game and we are going to have to learn how to pivot.

It has a name and looks different for everyone. It has no biases of income, color, lifestyle, age or health. And if we’re going to be realistic, it can and probably will touch us or someone we know, BUT like the good game of Bid or even basketball, the game ends and what we have left is each other and our camaraderie.

Yeah, we’ve got a bad hand, but it’s how you look at everything else around the game. Spend time, if you can with your loved ones, but more importantly, let’s leave this chapter needing and relying on each other. Offering assistance where we can and love, in all forms.

Be safe, stay encouraged, seek shelter. The end is not yet . . . or it would’ve ended, right?