On March 23, 2020, around 10:00 AM, we despondently made the announcement that we were temporarily closing the doors of our massage school, due to the COVID-19 pandemic…because it was the right thing to do. In all honesty, we had no idea it would last as long as it did, but we knew we had to take care of our people. So, we furloughed everyone and began the task of making sure we did everything we could so that our people would have a place to come back to when it was all over.
After the first week, it became obvious to us, this was going to be the toughest thing our organization had ever faced. Quite frankly, given the fact that our renovations ran grossly over budget, we had an abnormally low student enrollment, in combination with the ever-increasing cost of overhead, and a steadily declining income base due to COVID-19, our survival looked really…grim.
We began immediately to plan for reopening, knowing that we couldn’t be closed any longer than necessary without suffering catastrophic losses. We didn’t have solid data or reliable information at that time to help inform us about what to do next. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, we began to fear that reopening might not be an option. After three weeks, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission allowed us to begin teaching online classes. I taught the day classes and Jeryd taught the night classes. It was hard. We spent personal money to make it happen, knowing that it might mean not having enough money to get through this ordeal.
Donna kept reminding me, that when times get hard, we look up! SO…we did! We prayed! We prayed a lot! Jeryd was my rock! I’m not sure if I could have made it through this without him. Every time I felt like giving up, he would sweetly remind me that the reason we are in this is “to make the lives of people better” and then somehow, I would find the strength to keep going.
Eight weeks later, On May 11, 2020, we were able to open our doors again. As each employee began to walk back through the doors, I was able to take a long-needed, deep breath. Then the first guest walked through the doors, I felt an anxiety I wasn’t even conscious I had, melt away. Then the first student walked in and I let myself rejoice. I walked quietly and calmly into my office, I got down on my knees in my special prayer place and I gave thanks, knowing that once again, God had made a way…and against all odds, and with God’s loving grace…we had survived.
On June 1st, I realized we were headed on a fast track to burnout. With renovations and the COVID-19 Pandemic, we hadn’t had any downtime since Christmas. One of our favorite things to do is book a cabin in the Smokies and just get away for a weekend. So, I began looking for a cabin! To our surprise, we found an exceptional deal and set plans for some rest and relaxation. We checked in on Friday, June 5, 2020, and did nothing but relax and hang out. We had plans to go to the Island in Pigeon Forge and have lunch at Margaritaville, do some shopping, and ride the Ferris wheel. (I love Ferris wheels.) Little did I know that in January, Jeryd had decided he wanted to propose. He had built up the courage and made plans to pop the question during a trip we had planned for this same weekend…then COVID! With his plans ruined for a romantic and beautiful moment, he had to regroup. All of the sudden, although delayed, the plans were back on…at the last minute. He had a week of anxiety and honestly, I thought he wasn’t feeling well and was worried he might feel bad the entire trip. In reality, he was just nervous and working out his sneaky plan.
We restlessly slept in Saturday morning, on the most god-awful mattresses we’ve ever slept on, but it really didn’t matter, because we were just happy to be together and not at work. Even though we had aches and pains from sleeping, we made it to the Island and had a wonderful lunch at Margaritaville afterwards we shopped around and headed for the Ferris wheel. Before getting on the ride, Jeryd had to go to the bathroom. He excitedly ran all the way 
back to get in the line and soon we got on the Ferris wheel. As we circled to the top, Jeryd said, “I tell you I love you 20–30 times a day! Do you think that’s enough?” I looked at him, and said, “yes…” He then said, “I don’t think it’s enough! I think I can do better! Would it be okay if I told you for the rest of our lives?” Then to my amazement, with tears in his eyes, he got down on one knee (on a Ferris wheel!) pulled the ring out of his pocket, and said, “Eddie Daniel Bolden, would you please marry me?”
Truthfully, we had talked about getting married a couple of times and I had always joked that he was going to have to ask me, but I never saw it coming. My eyes filled with tears and all I could say was…yes! How could I say no to the most wonderful man in the world? It was a good thing the ride went around several more times because it took a little bit for us to pull ourselves back together. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect and romantic moment. It was all very surreal and kind of magical!
Love,
Eddie