Today is the close of a chapter.
For six months, our family has spent the majority of every day together. From quarantine to summer nights on the patio, to vacations in the mountains, we have been by each other’s side. Since the middle of March, we have shared more meals together, taken more walks and bike rides, and shared more of life than ever before. This has been one of the sweetest chapters of my life.
I remember when quarantine was first mandated, many people would say, “This is so good for the family.” In many ways, they were right. I know the extra time for families forced into togetherness has caused strife and pain, but it has also produced a sort of dross that could come no other way.
Togetherness, that is what I will miss the most.
I have never wished for life to go back to “normal” because our “normal” (pre-pandemic) was crazy, perhaps even more than I realized. It wasn’t until we stopped and slowed down that I finally recognized how badly my soul needed a deep exhale and inhale. The pandemic provided a pause for the world to breathe. Our family took a deep breath and we are more healthy for it.
Now as we go back to school schedules, office hours, and evening commitments, I will miss the simplicity of just being a family. When the world social distanced, a sense of peace and unity came over us. We don’t have to lose it, but we will have to fight to keep it. Now that I have tasted the sweetness of of family solace, I will do all I can to protect what been and can continue to be some of the greatest moments of my life.
