I started writing this iteration of my blog when the pandemic started for us. As we approach the 2-year anniversary it feels like the end is in sight. It’s not news to say that the pandemic is in a new phase, but what I’ve noticed most is how my attitude has changed.
Part of the reason I stopped writing so regularly last fall was my lack of enthusiasm for sharing news. It felt like things were not changing or were going in the wrong direction and I was really down about it.
The start of 2021 had felt so encouraging as vaccines arrived, but the start of 2022 felt so negative with case counts soaring and I was worried that this year would be the same as last.
And then in the last weeks things started to change for the better. The Omicron spike disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived. More people tested positive, recovered, and realized that for most vaccinated + boosted people, the risk is low. It’s not zero, but it’s low enough to almost ignore it.
I’ve realized that I now treat Covid like crossing the street. I cross at crosswalks and don’t take unnecessary risks, but busy streets don’t keep me from doing activities just because they are on the other side. I still wear masks where required inside but I don’t really think of Covid when thinking about plans.
And it seems like in the coming weeks and months the mask rules will be relaxed in many (all?) places and I’m ready for that. I know that it may not be fair to immunocompromised people, but I’m hopeful that the sight of someone wearing a mask will be more normal and we can coexist with masked and unmasked people together.
I know that unfortunately there will be bullying (from adults as much as kids), and I know that it may be hard for people who still feel at-risk to feel welcomed back into a (mostly) unmasked society but I’m hopeful that we can make it work. Hopefully no one feels forced back into crowded, public places, but those of us who are ready will welcome others as they get more comfortable.
In the past month we’ve started doing things that we weren’t doing before which has improved my mood and my outlook on the upcoming months:
- Indoor dining
- Kids having friends over at our house
- Skiing
- Taking public transportation
- Working from an office
- Going to basketball games (youth, high school, college, and NBA)
- Sleepovers for the kids
- Playing indoor soccer
- Buying concert tickets for summer shows
- Making travel plans
It has felt so great to be back into a more normal routine. The masks are a bit of a nuisance, but they don’t really get in the way of most activities, and it feels like a matter of time before they are optional again. This pandemic certainly isn’t over, and it’s clear that Covid is never predictable, but it also feels like the end is in sight. And I’m ready for it.
And here is the obligatory cute puppy photo:
Life, and All That Surrounds It 