I was remarking to my wife what a good string of days had just passed, especially in the conversations with a different friends from the county for five days in a row. Those connections left me feeling up; encouraged; engaged; civil and convivial.
“WAIT A MINUTE! I’ve felt this before. THIS is what it felt like to live in our vital, connected, pot-lucking and sharing community BEFORE COVID!”
Do you have any of that sense of return to the Way Things Were? Do you expect or hope to?
We know that the slope is slippery. We understand impermanence. We recharge from connections perhaps possible today and not in a month. The sun shines.
Yes, it does appear that we have returned to normal, but before we relax we should reflect on the journey which we have passed. When covid struck, many did not follow the advice of medical professionals and blamed the messenger, Anthony Fauci. Many schools were closed leaving students behind in their academic achievement. And, worst of all, covid is still lurking in the background with the prospect of reappearing in the fall when the flu season begins. We have learned much about our fellow neighbors. Let’s hope we will do better next time.
I do! But my sense of change is more due to my husband's death than to the waning of Covid. Both during Covid and the last 3 1/2 years while Jim was sick - I could not go anywhere or do much of anything outside our home. Now, of course, due to his death AND covid waning, I am able to get out and take advantage of all the activities offered at our clubhouse in our 55+ neighborhood. Life is beginning to show promise again - even though we could still get a new wave of he pandemic at any time. I pray that doesn't happen.
I. Hold. My. Breath. We did such a poor job of public health management in the Covid19 years, I fear we (They) have learned nothing that will make a difference Next Time. It will immediately become politicized, the lines drawn, and the masked vs the unmasked will face each other in an irrational standoff, fiddling while America burns. Then there's my pessimistic thinking! \{ ; > ))
Love it! But I do believe that Floyd is unique in the friendships people are willing to forge here. It feels normal to you but is unusual to those of us from bigger places.
Meet someone nice? Invite them over for pie on the porch! Find someone with common interests? Let’s do dinner out together! Like music? Bring a chair and let’s sit together at Small Town Summer! People just seem more outgoing and willing to take a chance on liking each other here in Floyd County. Yes, Covid tamped down the Floyd spirit, but you are right. It’s back!
Fred, I do like the expression "vital, connected, pot-lucking and sharing community".
Yes, it does appear that we have returned to normal, but before we relax we should reflect on the journey which we have passed. When covid struck, many did not follow the advice of medical professionals and blamed the messenger, Anthony Fauci. Many schools were closed leaving students behind in their academic achievement. And, worst of all, covid is still lurking in the background with the prospect of reappearing in the fall when the flu season begins. We have learned much about our fellow neighbors. Let’s hope we will do better next time.
I do! But my sense of change is more due to my husband's death than to the waning of Covid. Both during Covid and the last 3 1/2 years while Jim was sick - I could not go anywhere or do much of anything outside our home. Now, of course, due to his death AND covid waning, I am able to get out and take advantage of all the activities offered at our clubhouse in our 55+ neighborhood. Life is beginning to show promise again - even though we could still get a new wave of he pandemic at any time. I pray that doesn't happen.
I. Hold. My. Breath. We did such a poor job of public health management in the Covid19 years, I fear we (They) have learned nothing that will make a difference Next Time. It will immediately become politicized, the lines drawn, and the masked vs the unmasked will face each other in an irrational standoff, fiddling while America burns. Then there's my pessimistic thinking! \{ ; > ))
Love it! But I do believe that Floyd is unique in the friendships people are willing to forge here. It feels normal to you but is unusual to those of us from bigger places.
Meet someone nice? Invite them over for pie on the porch! Find someone with common interests? Let’s do dinner out together! Like music? Bring a chair and let’s sit together at Small Town Summer! People just seem more outgoing and willing to take a chance on liking each other here in Floyd County. Yes, Covid tamped down the Floyd spirit, but you are right. It’s back!