Holy Sh*t – Have We Really Been Doing This For Nearly A Whole Year?

0
1582

What can I say about this pandemic that hasn’t already been said? Oh, wait, I know:

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE’VE BEEN AT THIS FOR NEARLY A YEAR?

FreeToolkitInsert-PromoCode

Just typing that seems utterly ridiculous. I’d almost say it seems funny, but no, there’s nothing funny about this. 

Last March, kids everywhere were sent home from schools “for a few days.”

Then, “for a week.”

Later, well, “for a few weeks.”

And each time the district or the governor made a new announcement, people everywhere felt their stomachs drop. 

Businesses shuttered. Services were suspended. Only things deemed most essential remained open. 

With so much still unknown, people avoided the stores at all costs. When they finally had to go out, they masked up and avoided others like your local grocery store was an apocalyptic hellscape, hoarding canned goods and toilet paper accordingly.

And what did parents do? 

What parents always do: the best we could for our kids. 

We put on brave faces. We browsed Pinterest for “fun ideas for learning at home.” We resolved to take our lemons and make lemonade.

You know what I’m doing with my lemons now? Using them to garnish my cocktail–the cocktail I wish I were drinking on a cruise ship. Or at a giant wedding reception.

Or really, anywhere but my own home. 

You know what I’m browsing on Pinterest these days? “How to teach fractions without losing your damn mind

My brave face? Ohhhhh that poor face. My face has new wrinkles galore from all the “WTF lines” I’ve put on it in the past year. It’s got bags for days from the exhaustion of it all. 

And that’s just me.

My kids, well, they’re hanging in there, but this has been no picnic for them either. 

And thank God, mine are still pretty little. They are driving me out of my ever-loving mind and I may have rotted their developing brains with excessive screens, but they’ll be fine.

I can’t even imagine the heartbreak this has been for older kids. 

No graduation festivities, proms, senior nights, spirit weeks, or promotion ceremonies. That’s a lot of loss to shoulder for your average teen. 

And if they’re not your average teen? This past year has hit kids who were already struggling even harder, in sometimes unspeakable ways. 

As I see the calendar approaching March once again, I’m blown away that we remain in nearly the same place we were a year ago. 

I had a new baby at the end of last February. He’s changed dramatically, but not much else has — at least not where I live. Schools are still remote, restaurants are still at minimal capacity (if they’re even still in business).

So what do we do?

How do we keep making the best out of this crap sandwich that has since turned out to be a 365-course crap buffet?

We do what we’ve always done: our best.

And we remind ourselves that even though it feels like we’ve been at this forever, relief is on the horizon. Vaccines are rolling out, immunity is growing, a semblance of normalcy is coming.  

And when we finally return to normal (whatever and whenever that is)?

I’d like to apologize in advance to everyone for my shenanigans.

If you are someone I find even remotely tolerable, I’m probably going to tackle you in a bear hug and lick your face. 

I’m going to throw a block party– a massive, ridiculous gathering that will make the frat parties of my youth look tame. 

This middle-aged mom of four will be doing a kegstand on the front porch and I’m not even sorry about it. 

After doing this sh*t for a year and counting, I’ve earned it.

And so have you.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here