My Reign During Covid-19
Through this year as a community we’ve seen successes and losses. We are all living a part of world history. We’re living through the global pandemic of Covid-19, having to get used to living a new normal, and witness countless lives lost. This year is not all negative. We’ve watched so many of our future leaders graduate from school at all levels, the world came together and the wildfires in Australia have stopped, and even though Covid-19 stopped the world - but not the heroes helping others.
My personal favorite that’s happened this year is getting crowned as your Miss North Dakota International 2020 back in January. I was so excited to spread my message to the masses during my year. I was quite busy at the beginning. I was doing the things I was dreaming of doing. I was regularly meeting with people and organizations about how we could help one another. I loved going into meetings and presenting my passion; Disabilities Not Impossibilities.
During this time no one knew what was coming. We had no idea wearing masks, keeping distance from others, and staying inside would be our new normal. Of course this means all the things we all had planned had to come to a pause. Including mine that I had planned with my title. That isn’t stopping me though. I just have to change the way I’m spreading my message that anyone and everyone can do anything they want. I am blessed that we live in a time of social media and advanced technology. In a way I am reaching more people than I possibly could by just talking to a room full of people.
Things don’t always go the way we plan and that’s okay. I believe it gives us a chance to step out of our comfort zone of things we’re so used to, and grow as a person. One of the amazing things the hidden blessings that have come out of this year is showing us how strong our community is. Even though this is unique and uncertain, it has brought all of us together. From others and myself sewing masks to donate to hospitals, shelters, and front lines all the way to having amazing hearts who work in the healthcare field going to different areas who need their help. We’ve all realized that there’s more than just us in this world. We can’t go out and assume that someone is healthy just by looking at them. Just look at me. I look like a healthy young woman but I, in fact, have an autoimmune disease.
The message I want to leave with you with this month's blog is: bravery, kindness, and hope. I can’t choose only one word to describe our community. We are more than one word. We are all brave for living through uncertainty. We all have kindness and it definitely shows how much we’re lifting each other up. We have hope we will all get through this. We are strong together.
Nothing is Impossible,
LeAnne Brydl
Miss North Dakota International 2020
