A light in the dark

Good riddance. Hit the road, Jack. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. If 2020 were a person, any of these phrases — or a few choice others — might apply in bidding this year a hasty exit. We want the coronavirus to be a thing of the past. But, unfortunately, rates are currently rising.

I was driving on Highway 290 a few days ago when the Luke Combs song “Six Feet Apart” came on the radio. The refrain is:

I miss my mom, I miss my dad
I miss the road, I miss my band
Giving hugs and shaking hands
It’s a mystery I suppose
Just how long this thing goes
But there’ll be crowds and there’ll be shows
And there will be light after dark
Someday when we aren’t six feet apart

I thought about those lyrics in the banking context and it hit home. Texas bankers are a pretty tight family. You not only miss close interaction with your customers, but you also miss seeing one another and being together in both professional and social settings. The TBA staff and I miss you, too!

But there will be light after dark. 

News broke recently about the success of multiple accelerated vaccine trials. Realistically, we know it will still be many months before the nation emerges from the cloud of COVID-19. But we also know that eventually, bank lobbies across the state will fully re-open. We will be back to larger in-person meetings, conferences, social events and the TBA Convention. We will all welcome a break from Zoom!

With the challenges and change that 2020 threw at the banking industry, one thing we can say about the year is that it gave Texas bankers the opportunity to shine. As economic first responders for your communities, you provided hope. Texas bankers have been a light in the dark and will continue to be in the year to come regardless of what 2021 may hold. The bonds of fellowship between our bankers — and the relationships you share with your customers — will not be broken by this virus. And that is something to be optimistic about.

Thank you for being a light for those you serve. On behalf of your TBA staff, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year!