Posted in A Moment in My Life

“Life as Usual”

A Moment in My Life – Wednesday, April 28, 2021

The long-awaited moment has arrived. CDC announced that fully vaccinated people can enjoy the outdoors and small indoor gatherings without donning a mask now. Keep in mind that this relaxed restriction applies two weeks after your second vaccine shot. In contrast, semi-vaccinated folks need to continue adhering to the full precaution measures. I already saw a man walking outside without a mask. You know what? It seemed perfectly normal seeing a bare-faced man again. How quickly we can adapt back to our old normal! As cool as this is, it’s no comparison to the excitement of sports fans once again allowed to root for their teams live at the stadium. I am amazed by the outbursts from their endearing fans.

It wasn’t long ago when I swore that I wouldn’t be heading back out there any time soon. Nothing is set in stone. As is with life, things happen, and we must go with the flow. With that said, I’ve already attended a front lawn milestone birthday celebration for a good friend just weeks ago. After declining the invitation twice before, I finally accepted one of my besties’ takeout dim sum dates and had a wonderful afternoon catching up with her. I’ve also welcomed my niece’s visiting me for a week. If you told me I’d be socializing with people so soon, I’d laugh in your face, but I can’t do that anymore. It’s now a part of my history. Had I not gotten my vaccine, I definitely wouldn’t be as brave.

Before I got vaccinated, I begrudgingly braved going to Stonestown, which I hadn’t been to any mall other than Tanforan since before the pandemic. I had no intentions of going near them anytime soon. Alas, life happens. The graphics card on my cell phone decided to go out one morning, sending me off to the Stonestown Apple Store. I was surprised to see all the cars and people at this mall in the middle of a weekday. We were barely in the orange tier. Other than the masks on everyone’s face and numerous closed storefronts, I wouldn’t have known we were in a pandemic. People carried on like life as usual.

I heard on the news that the number of travelers has increased within this past month. My first inclination is nervousness, but I’m encouraged and excited on the second thought because I, too, am so eager to travel again. For months now, my mind kept going back to the idea of a river cruise, and since I’ve fallen in love with everything Louisiana, I’m longing to live on a Mississippi river cruise. Recently, I discovered Queen Latifah’s cover of “Hello Stranger,” and her soothing rendition immediately transported me to the lounge on board the cruise ship where I’ve been vicariously sipping an amaretto sour on the rocks and swaying left and swaying right to this song. It feels so real. I open my eyes, and I feel refreshed as if I returned from vacation. Okay, so I won’t be cruising any time soon. And yeah, okay, so I don’t drink. And yeah, right, you got me. I don’t dance either, but hey, who’s fantasy is it anyway? So, vicariously, I am enjoying this sort of holographic cruise until it becomes a reality that I suspect won’t be much longer as more people get fully vaccinated, and more restrictions ease up.

All around me, I see hope. The pandemic isn’t over yet. We have to continue being vigilant, but we can relax a bit and enjoy whatever normalcy we’re comfortable with that we’ve been allowed. I wasn’t in a hurry to get vaccinated or go back out there, but I did, and I’m glad I did. I just needed a little nudge. Now, I’m looking forward to life as usual.

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