A couple of weeks ago, I took my first trip in two years and it was amazing.  I have a disability and COVID added a couple more layers to my life.  The most tangible example is putting on and, more importantly, keeping on a mask.  Even though it’s challenging for anybody, it was more challenging for me. If the mask falls off, I need help getting it reattached to my face. Basically, it is one more thing I need help to do which is emotionally taxing for me. 

I was never comfortable enough to travel during the height of COVID because it just felt unsafe.  However, recently, I began to feel that now it was time.  Although the last two years were challenging, it feels like we have turned the corner.  It was nice to see people, be close to them, and not worry.  Instead of being frustrated about what was taken from us, I was just grateful that we got it back.

It was nice to be in a group, talk to others, and just be.

I was reminded that it’s really challenging to make people change if they don’t want to.  During the height we were guessing how life would change.  No more hugs.  No more handshakes.  And… no more buffets.  We may not have wanted these changes, but if we wanted to be safe, we needed to change the way we approached life.

Everywhere there were reminders that COVID was not quite gone. We had to wear masks in the airport, on the bus, and on the plane.   Plus, my favorite remnant of COVID restrictions was that guests were expected to change their own sheets.

In December, I had tickets to take my kids to a Seahawks game.  At the time, we had a new surge of cases. So, we decided that the kids should not go.  That was only in December.  I canceled a trip just six months ago.

We’ve come a long way in a rather short amount of time.  So, instead of being frustrated about the events of the last two years, I’ve decided to be grateful that for the time being, we are coming out of it.