2020 is a year I will always remember due to the Covid Pandemic. I certainly didn’t believe it would ever last into 2021, and change our world in so many ways. Originally, I thought some of the changes would be temporary; however, our society norms seemed to have changed permanently. Some of these changes are positive, and some are negative. I would not say I am a “glass-half-empty” or a “glass-half-full” person; I would classify myself a realist, with a tendency to lean towards the negative. My goal for the remainder of 2021 and heading into 2022 is to focus on the positive, and retrain my brain to be a positive thinker!
Positive Changes In 2021
One of the positive changes I have noticed since start of the pandemic is that we don’t have to wait in a roomful of sick people at the clinic. We got allergy shots weekly for about 6 years, so were often at the clinic waiting the required half hour. I used to always tell my kids not to sit by anyone who looked sick or was coughing, because I worried about getting sick (especially Danny with his compromised immune system from neutropenia). Now when we have an appointment, we are roomed into a private room after check-in. I love that we avoid the potential exposure to germs whether we are being seen for feeling sick or for a preventative screening.
Crosslake, Minnesota
Family-time used to be scarce, and we have enjoyed much more quality time in our immediate family. Especially with purchasing a lake home in Crosslake, Minnesota and boating the Whitefish Chain of lakes. We spent many afternoons/evening floating and exploring the lakes in Northern Minnesota. Our lake home is a townhome, so very little work/maintenance is needed on our part, which allowed us to really relax and hang out as a family.
Get togethers with extended family and friends certainly happen less often than they used to. I find that I treasure and enjoy the times we are able to gather even more now. We celebrated our nephew’s wedding, which included several showers and family get-togethers. After not gathering with family for a year, it really felt like a special occasion to all be together.
I will never forget golfing with my husband and two other couples for my birthday in 2020. It was the first time since March we had really been out of our house, and the first time we had been with friends. We felt safe golfing together, and enjoyed many laughs. I remember waking up in the morning, and still feeling happy from the day before. Then we celebrated with my mom for an afternoon picnic. We also hadn’t seen her, other than on Zoom, for 3 months. Celebrations today hold a significance, and I cherish the time.
Creativity In 2021
My husband and I both developed some new interests and explored our creative sides during the last two years. We learned how to play Sudoku, and like to challenge each other on who can complete a puzzle quicker. My husband wrote a children’s book and I developed a workout board game with a friend. Both are things we often dreamed about, and never had the time to complete. We both painted a few pictures from a local artist who gave us lessons on You Tube. I also got into puzzling, and have done 10-12 1,000 piece puzzles in the last year. Most of these activities are “good for your brain” in addition to being fun.
As we head into the final month of 2021 and look towards 2022, I am filled with hope —hope for a pandemic-free world, hope for good health, hope for making many memories with loved ones, and hope for a world where we accept the differences in people. I wish you a joyous holiday season and a healthy a prosperous 2022.