Peace

The other day I left my house early to go open my store. Rather than the hiway I take what is called in my town, as the parkway. The parkway is where everyone bikes and runs and walks and it goes through our town. It’s lovely and we live close to one section of it.

As I drove up this “parkway” I saw the local cross country team running. It brought tears to my eyes. I hope we never look at life the way we used to again.

I hope when we can say goodbye to masks that we will look at faces again. I hope that we will enjoy a handshake. I trust we will hug even on days we don’t feel like it. I hope that we will have more people over…and enjoy crowds when we didn’t before. I miss the roar of a stadium. I miss even being crowded in a stadium. I miss the smell of hotdogs and I miss even the people that would sit right by me at the movie theatre even though there were so many seats wide open!!! 😬😬😬🤦🏼‍♀️

I long to see the yellow buses and hear the kids screaming and yelling at one another . I long to see playgrounds with kids playing on them.

I miss not having to read a book on every business door before entering so I know the rules.

I miss being able to visit other states without having to worry if I’m in one of the states that’s considered a “risk”.

What I do enjoy is seeing the good that people do for one another. How they support the businesses in their community. I like how many friends have come by our store to offer support. That means the world to us.

I see the fright in our customers eyes. We are doing our best with social distancing and masks and sanitized pens…but as I listen to how my staff speaks to our clients…I love them a little more. That’s exactly how I want to be treated when I go somewhere….like I matter.

That has been the hardest part of covid. The interaction between humans being taken away. That is what makes us human….and when that’s gone, it causes serious problems.

I am cautious. not frightened. I am careful but not over the top.

I do my best to keep myself, my children, my staff and my customers safe….but in the end…we can’t live in fear.

It’s true, this week I could get Covid…I could also die in a car accident..I could be told I have stage 4 cancer. Nothing is promised…but if I’m living in constant fear am I really living?

Right now there is huge debate about going back to school. I have one in college…and one I homeschool. However. Homeschooling for us does not mean staying at home all day everyday. We have lots of activities and we meet with lots of people. I personally feel that your children, your choice…you know what’s best for them and others need to just simmer down.

Sadly, fighting occurs if you state your opinion differently than others. Your called all sorts of lovely names if you disagree. I have unfollowed so many people lately. I hardly have any friends left…but it was stealing my peace.

I have said from the beginning of this nightmare to turn off the news…and now Facebook where all the “experts” reign. Where they back up “facts” with more “Facebook facts”.

I for now, await the day for the yellow buses and children yelling…and playgrounds being played on and children singing. I look forward to seeing people’s faces and shaking their hands….and I hope we will never forget…when we could not do that….and never take it for granted….again.