Getting Back to Life

Note: I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago, before the Delta variant flared. I still feel we should be getting back to life, we just need to be a bit more careful right now.

I hope you are getting back to the life you led before Covid. By being careful about what we do and smart about how we do it, we can gat back to some semblance of normal and shake off the Covid hangover.

For me, softball has been the biggest part of getting back to life – made even better by our recent come-from-behind win by scoring 9 runs in the last inning. After missing last season it’s been great to get back on the field with my teammates each week and to be able to hang out together at our sponsor’s pub after our games - https://www.facebook.com/Tim-Kerwins-Tavern-120185364711588/ . It’s also helped me work on getting my social skills back up to snuff after being mostly isolated for so many months – though some of my teammates will disagree with me on that.

Another big step was our trip to Cooperstown with our nieces (3 of them) and nephew, and sister and brother-in-law. We had a big VRBO house just outside of town so everyone had plenty of space. Surprisingly it was the girls who went with our brother-in-law for his guided tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame while our nephew and I tried out the new disc golf course at Brewery Ommegang. Visits to other local breweries, the Farm Museum, downtown, and a local winery were also on the agenda. It felt so good to be together again and to be out and about.

Meeting live with friends not seen other than via Zoom in over a year has been liberating too. Just being able to toast being back together (the sound of glasses clinking….) is a huge step. With summer in full swing, it’s been great to sit outside to share conversation, food, drink, and just enjoy each other’s company. And being able to have people to our home or go to theirs has brought back a sense of normal.

We’re doing our part to patronize local businesses to help them recover while we enjoy just getting out again. Sitting at the bar or our local brewery - https://www.ashtonbrewing.com/ - or at one of our local pubs has provided the opportunity to have conversations with people we just met. Something not possible with the 6 foot rule in place for so long, and a much needed social interaction that adds to the experience of being out. Whether it’s going to your local pub or restaurant – sit outside if you are not comfortable inside – or shopping at independently owned stores, do what you are comfortable with to support those businesses and the people who work there and own them. And please be patient with your servers as they are likely handling a lot more patrons than before.

With many of us being cooped up for so long, remembering and re-learning our social skills after 14 months of Zoom and not being with others much is a big part of getting back to normal. This is something we all need to be aware of as we interact more and more with others. Whether at work, in a store or restaurant, at the beach, or on the road it’s important to remember that everyone is in the same boat here and we need to help each other re-enter society. Perhaps our biggest challenge is to successfully re-connect with friends, family, co-workers, and the myriad of strangers we cross paths with every day.

Yes, we have been getting out and about and slowly working our way back to normal, but we are being careful. There will be no large gatherings, clubs (too old for that anyway), concerts or any other activities that put us in close contact with a large number of people in a confined space. We follow the local and shop-specific guidelines; remember businesses have the right to set their own policies so if a business’s mask policy upsets you, please go somewhere else and don’t take it out on the employee who has to enforce it.

With great summer weather and most restrictions down, at least for now, get back into the things you enjoy. Be smart, be careful, be considerate of others, and get back to Life!