They say this is it; they say we are on that bumpy road to recovery. The return of concerts, movies, and that lust for tourism! It’s easy to say life has thrown us the curveball we never saw coming. Despite ALL the changes, despite ALL the chaos, supply disruptions, and angst, rest assured some peoples’ “normal” never even blinked. Yes, one can split hairs all day long after all the wealthy missed more than one opera over the course of a year. Sure little Tommy’s little league dreams were dashed as well, but what about those who carried on? 1st responders still put out the fires, cops still made arrests. Custodians still cleaned retail establishments. The mail still got delivered! Traffic accidents still occurred. Doctors still delivered babies! Some people were not allowed to “STAY HOME/STAY SAFE.” In fact, one could argue; that the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor saw very little change over the last year. So the “push” to “return” to normal while without a doubt is long overdue, it also lacks the wherewithal to accept and acknowledge those who maintained said normalcy, whether by choice or not.
Employment, housing, and yes, even friendships have found themselves altered, and in some cases, unrecognizable. There is a semblance of comfort knowing our lives are headed towards a state of regularity. Those who never lost that sense, however, are going to have the hardest time acclimating. They will find themselves surrounded by friends/family/coworkers who have been irrevocably changed. They will have to face the doldrums of daily work/life balance compounded with the incessant droning on of those who will over-share to no end. There will be resentment towards those who were fortunate enough to play “it” safe.” There will be dismay and confusion over those who couldn’t wait it out. There will also be a sense of collective relief. While mostly it will go unspoken and possibly even ignored, the efforts of those who forged ahead, pressed on, and lived to tell the tale are going to carry on undeterred. Those who find themselves back in the game will hopefully be grateful and cognizant of what the few who persevered managed to accomplish!!! With apologies to Yogi Berra; “it ain’t over til it’s over!”
Santangelo Says 