Five down, one to go. That’s the tally of vaccinated adults in my immediate family. Two of us are fully vaccinated, three will get their second shots the week after Easter, and the last one should hopefully get one soon through the school district in which he teaches. I know how difficult it is to get an appointment, and I certainly don’t want to make anyone still trying to get an appointment feel badly. I just am feeling like I can finally start looking forward to what is coming.

For so long I couldn’t even think about life going back to “normal” or making plans There is so many things I miss about life pre-Covid. These are some of the things I am most looking forward to doing again.

• hugging my kids and grandkids
• sleepovers with the grandkids
• family dinners
• seeing my siblings
• my sister’s wedding in June
• a massage
• getting back to the pool at the gym

Over the past year, I have thought a great deal about what is really important in life, and experiencing lockdown, fear, and anxiety has cemented those thoughts. Covid exposed the great differences between the haves and the have nots, those who could work remotely and those who had no choice but to work in person every day, and many other disparities people experience. However, I think we all wanted the same thing – for our families to be safe. I am more hopeful for the future than I have been in a long, long time.

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March. I will be posting every day this month. It is sponsored by twowritingteachers.org. #SOL21