Goodbye “normal” (Day 26/31 #sol20)

I know that this has been coming.

I know that things have changing at a breakneck pace over the last two weeks, with new directives coming down the pipeline from all levels of government.

I know that the employment and schedule changes that are affecting my household are no worse than what is affecting everyone else’s household.

I know that there is a myriad of ways that we are all reaching out to one another and staying connected as best as we can.

I know that the changes coming our way are the most responsible thing we can do as a society.

But.

Can’t I just have a minute or two to mourn the loss of my “normal”?

I miss my first and second graders.

I miss my colleagues.

I miss hugging people.

I miss my book club.

I miss teaching a hot sweaty room full of smiling yogis who laugh at my dumb jokes and who stick around for chats after class even though it’s the end of the week and we’re all fried.

I miss carpooling.

I miss going out to eat, even though we’d only go once in a blue moon.

I miss the excitement that comes along when you plan a day or a night out with friends.

I miss visiting people.

I miss spring skiing and laughing with family on the ski area.

I miss planning out my solo summer adventures.

There.

There it is. My mini (and quite incomplete) mourning for my personal and formal “normal”.

I know that we will all navigate what comes next for us because that’s what we do as humans. This will be hard, AND we can do hard things. (Thanks, Glennon Doyle!)

I also know that in the rush and the haze of learning new techniques and upping my personal and professional screen time, I needed to pause and acknowledge each piece that I am saying goodbye to these days.

On towards our new “normal”. We got this.

❤️