Prior to catching our flight to Chicago, the thought of traveling for the first time since the pandemic began left me feeling wobbly and unsettled.
Would we expose ourselves to coronavirus? Was taking a trip out of state a premature choice? Would others judge me for this decision? Would there be enough to keep us busy if businesses remained closed?
One question that never surfaced was, "Will I miss home?"
Yet, here I sit, sipping my morning coffee in a silent house with no expectations of others gnawing at my subconscious. And it feels like pure bliss. Our small patio home has become our sanctuary—a refuge from an unjust world full of uncertainty, joy, and immeasurable pain. As much as I love my people and appreciate travel experiences, I've never felt a deeper sigh of relief to safely return home. It's as if I can stop holding my breath and fully exhale.
Accompanying these feelings of respite, is a deep sense of gratitude. We are never promised tomorrow, and each precious moment spent with our adult children is a gift.
ABC's of Gratitude (Chicago Edition)
Ⓐ Airport safety protocols
Ⓑ The Bean & The Bronze Fonzie Statue
Ⓒ Chicago style deep-dish pizza
Ⓓ Drinking draft beer
Ⓔ Eight mile walk through the city
Ⓕ Friends Pop-Up Experience
Ⓖ Google Maps (Even if I suck at navigating!)
Ⓗ Hats & gloves (It's cold in the windy city.)
Ⓘ Interesting music selections on the drive to Milwaukee
Ⓙ Joyful moments of collective effervescence @ the Irish Pub
Ⓚ The Kissing Rock
Ⓛ Laughter and listening
Ⓜ Magnificent Mile
Ⓝ Neon Green River
Ⓞ Odd art instillations peppered throughout the city
Ⓟ Phase 10 Games
Ⓠ Quiet, slow mornings at the airbnb
Ⓡ Riverwalk in Milwaukee
Ⓢ St. Patty's Day Pub Experience
Ⓣ Trip to the local grocery store to by cereal and milk
Ⓤ Utopian Tailgate Rooftop Sports Bar
Ⓥ Visiting with strangers in the hotel hot tub
Ⓦ Witty comments from Hunter
Ⓧ Xtra time with the kids
Ⓨ Yiddish words from Laverne & Shirley (schlemiel and schlimazel)
Ⓩ Zipping around, hunting for a parking spot
These abcs from your trip are so fun, Tenille, and I love the juxtaposition of gratitude against initial questions of pandemic worries. So glad it turned out to be a wonderful trip! My favorite is the quiet time with your coffee, in morning hours of sanctuary ...
ReplyDeleteNawal, thank you for your faithful readership. You've made slicing feel extra special this year. I'll definitely take a raincheck on our coffee date. Some day we will meet in person!
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