Sitting at the kitchen table, scanning the ‘It’s a year later’ Sunday Times headline stories, I can’t help but think back to myself as a child, unbuckled (there were no seatbelts) in the rear seat of my father’s car, on our endless drives to visit our grandparents in Brooklyn. Those car rides felt interminable as our eyes bounced between the same landmarks as we left New Jersey, crossed Staten Island and headed into the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The only thing that broke up the drive was Pop’s commentary on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and its ongoing construction. Even that felt repetitive to a grade school child.

Such are the feelings I’ve had this last year. And, we all know in the logical corners of our brains, it is not quite over. Yes, things are beginning to loosen up. Our conversation has shifted from “who’s delivering your groceries,” to “have you had the second shot?”, “Did you have symptoms?, “Are you going to restaurants? Food Stores? Traveling?” and so on. But, we still know it’s not quite behind us. Very few of us are truly reminiscing about “Where were you when things shut down?” In my circles, it’s been more about, “How far are you peaking your head out of your hole in the ground?”

I’ve had enough of my ‘groundhog’ lifestyle and am cautiously crawling my way back – not glancing behind quite yet. Finished with my vaccines, I am ready to get out of my house and breath fresh air. Hosting and hugging my family, particularly my grandkids, is tonic for me. Lord knows, I’m sick of creatively remaking the same basic meals and we are, drumroll please, savoring the different flavors of food in our local restaurants – yes, indoors. Our first dinner out, I changed my clothes endless times, redid my hair and makeup as if preparing for a first date. I was that excited. I’m even shaking up my outdoor walks with indoor mall strolling when it’s too cold or wet.

I’d say I’m 30% there. We’re keeping Lord Fauci’s words in mind as we climb out further, but I’m not quite ready to talk about the day when a microscopic virus upended our lives. First, I want to see our children back in school, our shops and restaurants reopened, and the nervous newcomers to the outside world, not shirking fearfully when they’re near other people. That’s when I’ll be able to reminisce.

What about you?