I tend to be a bit of an introvert and I really did not feel overly constrained by the pandemic. Yes, I missed picking out my own groceries and going out to eat, but being in my home was OK. I look back and am amazed that I truly went 15 months without going into a grocery store and only went to Target for the first time last week! It is a lot cheaper when you do not go into a store and find the things you suddenly “need!”
But what I also found out is that I do like to get together with friends and family. During the early part of the pandemic Cherie was here and we just did a lot of stuff together (like build my lovely garden, and cut down a lot of trees!). And we Zoomed Matt and Jenny almost every day. Once distance learning set in and I became more comfortable teaching remotely, I still felt like there was some connection with the people at school and a few of the students. And finally, when Matt and Jenny moved back to California and we could actually see and touch them, all was good with the world. I know of many who did not make it through the pandemic, but my immediate family did. And for that I am very thankful!
Once we all became vaccinated, I finally realized that although no one would consider me an extrovert, I am not as introverted as I thought. The science department gave me a retirement party and I got to see people I haven’t really seen in a couple of years. And then when I drove Kris and Allison to see our cousins in the Bay Area, I started to feel reconnected to all of my family. And last week seeing my Aunt and Uncle, brother and Edna on our way to pick up Cherie from Whiteriver, I became more settled. I feel alright again. I am grateful for family, health and science that allow this to happen again. I hope we do not go back to what was “normal” in a societal sense, but I feel my life is doing what it should be doing. I am grateful again.
Couldn’t have said it better <3 Really excited for you to have more time to connect and adventure in retirement 🙂