Finally we are mask free!

 

18 months ago, the world as we knew it shut down.  Our government issued an emergency order because of Covid 19. In any public spaces we had to wear masks, schools closed, we had to social distance, business closed, friends were not able to visit, people were working from home, many people lost their jobs, many people lost family members to Covid 19.  We were in my first ever world-wide global Pandemic. 

No travel, no funerals, no weddings- Life felt like it was on hold.  There was hand sanitizer on every corner, stores that were open could only allow a a few people in at once, people would line up outside to enter a store.  Covid cases were on the rise.  The premier and chief medical officer would do daily updates and each day it was more depressing with more and more cases. 

 Churches became virtual, people were very sad and lonely, suicide numbers were increasing as people did not know best how to deal with this pandemic.

 Then about 9 or 10 months in churches could open with a limited number of people and masks were to be worn, stay six feet apart, sit with your family, exit with your family.

My daughter had to graduate from grade 12 with masks and only a few people in attendance, no prom, no last day with classmates. Birthdays were celebrated with just immediate families or drive by where you stood in the yard and wave.

 Now here we are 18 months later and our emergency order ended on July 30- one day after my daughter turns 18.   We are all over joyed to get rid of our masks, we can hang out with friends, we can travel, and we can begin a new normal- Life will never be as it was before this pandemic hit.

 This pandemic was not all bad- my husband started a very successful business, I landed my dream job, we moved into our dream home.  Covid could have taught us so much- it taught us to be thankful for what we have, so many people lost so much in such a short time,  it taught us that community is essential and so is technology, it taught me that family matters- it was just the three of us for several months and we actually had fun together- some marriages did not make it, but I believe ours is better then ever. 

We were taught to honor each other as they were all we had, we could facetime people but no one could come to our homes to hang out and it hurt especially for me who loves to entertain and have friends over.   We have come a long way in medicine, they now have the vaccine and while I am fully vaccinated, I will never tell you that you need to be, we each have a choice and no matter what you choose, I still respect you.  

It taught me to love, to listen, to care, to respect and to help.