Maybe it’s because the weather is getting summery in our part of the country, and we’re able to sit outside on sunny days, waving to neighbors who are also out in their yards. Maybe it’s because we just had out-of-town company, and we’re now enjoying leftover snacks, meals, and memories from when they were here, and the clean house that’s also left over from their visit.

Maybe it’s because a few of the clubs and organizations I belong to are starting, cautiously, to meet again in person, after meeting only on Zoom for the past year. Or because of plans we’re starting  to make, whether it’s for day or weekend trips to nearby locations, or regular vacations a little farther away – although those still come with the caveat of “when this is all over.”

Whatever the reason, I’m actually starting to feel almost normal again.

We’re not getting careless, or throwing out our masks or sanitizer. But we’re enjoying the feeling, and the hope, that it won’t be too much longer before we can.

In some ways, it’s hard to believe it’s been more than a year that we’ve been living the way we have. And at times, it’s felt as though we always would – that wearing masks, keeping our distance from others, and limiting travel to only what was absolutely necessary was going to be the new normal, like metal detectors at airports and security cameras everywhere. Once those became a regular part of our lives, we knew they were never going to go away. But even though hugs and handshakes fell victim to the coronavirus, I know that’s not going to be a forever thing.

I don’t know what’s coming in the days ahead, of course. We’re not done with this pandemic yet, and there may be more like it – or additional new variances – before we can put it completely behind us.

But for now, I’m enjoying what feels like a breath of fresh air. Like a light at the end of a tunnel. Like a return to normal. And right now, normal is a pretty good feeling.

April 16, 2021
©Betty Liedtke, 2021

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