Seeing families and friends embrace their loved ones after two long years of waiting, hoping, praying that they would return home safely, we are all able to take a collective deep breath and feel a glimmer of hope for the first time in a very long time. And at the same time we hold all of those who are feeling the pain of loss for loved ones who will not return home and those who have lost everything in this terrible war.
Although there are so many unknowns ahead, we can pause to celebrate this moment in time; celebrate a moment of unity, a moment of peace, and pray that all who live in the Middle East will be able to rebuild their lives and feel safe and secure in their homes and their community. As one of our fellow early childhood educators wrote, "It is a complicated joy." And that complicated joy is something we hold not just for ourselves, but for the many families and staff we support each and every day. Our conference committee intentionally chose to lean into the theme of joy this year. We create spaces of joy, curiosity, and wonder for our children and families all year long, and we know that we don't always feel that in our work. So, we can't wait to come together as a professional community to create joy through deep learning, moments of reflection, and through the celebration of this profession to which we have dedicated our whole selves.
In the meantime, we can't wait to see you virtually whether it is through our roundtables, learning meet-ups, and build up to the conference.
Let this moment be a reminder to us to celebrate, to find joy, to continue to seek justice for all those who are suffering both at home and abroad, and to hold on to hope for more better days ahead.
Ellen Lefkowitz, ECE-RJ President
