COVID19: Two Years And Counting—#SOL22, Day 11

  

Two years ago to the date Friday, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since that fateful day, the only constant in our lives has been disruption. Chronic uncertainty has left us all fragile, and public health experts are hesitant to say it is over. 

When the coronavirus turned our world upside down, I remember frantically reading everything I could about the Spanish Flu, desperate to understand how long this pandemic would last. Historians and scientists cautioned us to hunker down for a minimum of two years, reminding us these rampant viruses come in waves. Nothing I learned could have prepared me for the rollercoaster ride we've been on for the last 24 months. Usually, context is a stabilizing force. Yet here we are, two years later, and I'm reluctant to trust we won't see another summer spike. 

Every time we make plans, Covid laughs. Yet, we can't keep our lives on hold forever. So we book the ticket. We cautiously remove the masks. We laugh, dance, and drink, hoping no one we love gets sick. Normal no longer exists, so we move on, blazing a path forward. We try to make sense of all the loss, grief, and heartache while simultaneously embracing moments of joy, amusement, and pleasure. 

Here we are two years later, hanging out in Las Vegas, getting ready to marry off our son. When I think back to March 11, 2020, the fear still feels palpable. From the toilet paper crisis, to the long lines at the grocery store, to the masks wars—I think we are all exhausted. Instead of dwelling on the past today, I choose to look towards a brighter future. May the next two years be a little less rocky than the last.