Wow! What a year it has been to say the least. No one could’ve ever guessed what 2020 would bring us. It is surreal. I can’t believe it happened. And even though it was quite awful, it truly did teach us about what matters most in life.
Reflecting back on what has happened in the past year, it’s just something you couldn’t have imagined. We were coming off a fantastic 2019, celebrating our 5th year in business, the birth of my son, finding out Dr. Safi was going to be having a baby. Our team was a solid bunch of team members, spouses, kids, and we were just enjoying everything we had built together.
We started 2020 carrying over the celebrations by taking a team trip to Temecula in February to celebrate Jayme’s, Kim’s, and my birthday. Little did we know it was the last time we would get to freely celebrate without a care in the world this year. We had a blast. It’s crazy to think that just a few weeks after, we found ourselves in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic.
We didn’t know what this virus was or what it could do. Everything came to a sudden halt, as we scrambled to find out everything we could about the virus. I was so proud of our team and how each person stepped up to help us research, prepare new safety protocols, and secure the proper equipment. Undoubtedly everyone was scared and anxious, but there was not one complaint or act of hesitation when everyone could have easily fallen apart. Our team came together, formulated a plan, and forged ahead to take care of our patients when they needed us the most.
We weren’t sure what was going to happen, but we knew we could rely on each other to show up everyday and perform. If any one of us was struggling or scared, the rest of were right there to support each other.
The summer continued to be a rollercoaster of steps forward and back with the pandemic, social injustice, civil unrest, a recession, and a contentious election. We couldn’t see family outside of our homes, our friends, or even spend time together outside of work. But, our friendship and reliance on each other helped us get through. We became our own little family unit.
We made it through summer as normal as possible. No one got sick. My son celebrated his first birthday. We added two more babies to our family, celebrated two wedding anniversaries, and even ended up winning the “Best General Dentist” in Orange County award.
Now here we are on Thanksgiving day. As I sit here and think about everything we have been through, I can’t help but be filled with joy and pride. Not an ounce of sadness, anxiety, or regrets. We have made everyday the best we could and kept each other safe. I am so grateful we had that one last trip together in February and look forward to the new memories we will make together once this is over.
This Thanksgiving is more important than any one in the past and I hope my team knows how incredibly thankful we are for each and every one of you.
Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing everyone health, happiness, and smiles.
-Dr. Jorgenson and Family