In early August of 2019, we surprised my mom and went home to celebrate her 80th birthday with my family. A few months later, we made plans to return in the spring of 2020. With COVID-19 and the shutdown, we were not able see my parents or my husband’s mom for almost 2 years. We’ve never gone this long without seeing our extended family. Seeing them after a long period of time was more enjoyable than I can express. Just sitting with my mom and catching up until the early hours of the morning was a cherished delight and blessing. 

As I consider my fulfilling time with my parents, I also think about other everyday experiences we lost during COVID-19 and we are delighted to greet them again:

• Share a smile. For several months, we were restricted from this simple gesture of sharing a smile with a stranger at a grocery store, gas station or neighborhood. It is now a great joy to share this simple greeting with a stranger to acknowledge their presence.

• Share a meal at a restaurant. The culinary experience of dining out with friends and family was lost to curbside pickup, delivery and properly spaced outdoor dining. We can now share a meal and enjoy the company of others.

• Attend in person church service. Many churches pivoted to virtual services and/or limited in person seating. More churches are opening their doors to in person worship to full capacity. We enjoyed Sunday worship and Sunday brunch each week as coveted family time to start our week. We cannot wait to return!

• Enjoy parties and celebrations. Virtual gatherings were the norm for birthday parties, graduation celebrations, and birthday parties for the last year and half. We were delighted to celebrate Christina’s graduation in person as a family. This was the best time ever!

This life-changing pandemic introduced many limitations and we are easing back to a level of normal. Take joy in embracing these everyday experiences and pleasure in making new memories in the days to come. 

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, and how you can still come out of it. – Maya Angelou.