Hello There!

Can we still talk about COVID? Do you feel as if COVID has been the focus of our lives for too long? Did u decide you would live life as normal as possible?

Well, I did too (but from the comfort and safety of my home). I decided I would indulge in the occasional manicure and allow service people in the house for the repairs that have been adding up. I even toyed with the idea of getting together for a social distancing team building event with my team, and everything seemed ok. No one was sick and, I was scheduling social time -- getting my nails done and even engaging in small talk (from 6 feet apart). I did this for about a month.

Then Christmas morning, no call from MJ’s dad. I wondered, why wouldn’t he call her for Christmas? At least to confirm that he was on his way and would be here soon? My mind was racing, but I still gave it little importance, thinking well hmmm, “his loss”.

After several hours of opening gifts, I checked email and there it is an email from dad, Subject: “EMERGENCY”. I immediately open the email and see: “POSITIVE” in red letters next to dad’s name, today’s date and the word SARS. These are the only words I could see as I asked myself one million questions.

Was MJ with dad while he was sick?

How long has he been sick?

Is MJ sick?
Will MJ get sick?

Will I get sick?

Will the rest of the house get sick?

If we did get sick, can we all survive it?

 

And immediately my Merry Christmas went from joyous-- because this year, MJ can sit up and open her own gifts (and enjoy it) to feeling like this would be our last Christmas.

 

I waited a few weeks to post this because I wasn’t sure what would happen. I am so happy to say that we dodged a bullet this time. I have vowed to be more careful and to talk to my friends and family more. Not only because I love them all, but also because I want to stop and smell the s*** that we have been living in the past year, up until recent events because I’m smelling it with the people I love and how they understand why they haven’t seen me in almost a year.

 

Gratitude, I have experienced the biggest reason to be grateful. I promised myself to never take that for granted.

 

Cheers to my friends and family who settle for FaceTime and Wine instead of begging me to meet them for Brunch.

xxxxx