The dreaded question on a car trip with children is “Are we there yet?”
As we are all yearning for the end of the pandemic, our destination is still beyond the horizon. When a child says “Are we there yet?” many parents would respond with: “Look out the window and see what’s around.”
As eager as we are for this to be over, it can be worthwhile to reflect on how far we’ve come. For weeks, my daughter has been asking about trying hot pot because she’s been watching videos on TikTok. I am teaching an entrepreneurship course at Royals Roads University and some of my students were writing about Chinese cuisine and hot pots. So I was convinced to try it out.
We found a hot-pot restaurant online, made a reservation, and tried something new. On our drive to dinner, my daughter said to me: “Remember when all the restaurants were closed?” It was a simple statement that reminded me to appreciate the opportunity to find something new and make an occasion out of it.
It’s March 2022, and two years since our world was tipped upside-down.
What was once foreign to us is now routine.
I remember the first time I wore a mask in a grocery store and how strange the experience was. It felt weird wearing a mask to work, or running into friends wearing masks. Now it’s nothing for most of us.
Many of us have experienced moving between in-person and Zoom meetings, depending on the number of active COVID-19 cases. When things switch back to in-person meetings, the small talk starts with: “Hopefully we can do this for while before it goes back online.”
It’s pretty incredible how this pandemic has forced many of us to become more comfortable being flexible.
It’s also helped me gain appreciation for outings and experiences that I once took for granted.
In the past couple of weeks, I attended a concert at Mary Winspear Centre and a play at McPherson Playhouse, and enjoyed watching a film in a movie theatre.
I’ve been going to gyms and swimming pools regularly, and it feels great to get back into a routine.
These are things that two years ago I could not have done.
We all remember what life was like when all of these options were taken away from us, to keep us safe.
I remember during lockdown, leaving my house to go for a drive and finding it depressing because the drive just reminded me of everything that was closed.
A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting at home on my computer and read an article in the Times Colonist about a Bif Naked concert happening that evening. Within minutes, I’d bought tickets, and a couple of hours later, we went to the show.
It felt like such a treat to enjoy live music, and a privilege to have the option.
It feels like eons ago when schools closed for spring break 2020, and then stayed closed for months.
The pandemic has been a time of transition for many, including myself, and we’ve had moments of struggle, loss and frustration.
When we look back on these past two years, we can read ourselves a laundry list of grievances, or we can seek to identify opportunities for growth, triumph and strength.
We may not be there yet, but we are getting somewhere.
