My last day of working full time was November 12, 2021. I remember counting down to that date…. highlighted in my calendar.
I certainly should take a minute to thank the thousands of you who sent messages, cards, notes and gifts wishing me well in this next phase of my life. And many of you were right.
It did feel like vacation at first and there is a feeling of being free from “having to do something”. But it hasn’t been everything I imagined.
Spending so much time living during a pandemic made me realize I was missing out on too much with my grandchildren. That was the driving force behind my decision to step back from the day to day work world. The distance between Pittsburgh and Atlanta isn’t THAT great, but add in new variants, travel nightmares, isolation after exposures and these last eight weeks have been nothing like I expected.
The adults in my family are ALL vaccinated and boosted. Even my five-year-old grandson has received the two shots he is eligible to get. The only one who has gotten “the jab” ( I think I actually hate that word) is my two year old granddaughter.
But breakthrough cases happen. I never thought the vaccine would keep COVID-19 completely away…I am not that person, but I did and do believe that it softens the blow if exposed. So, what’s my beef?
I don’t want to get angry or frustrated with those who have decided NOT to get the shot. I shake my head in disbelief at those I know who are unvaccinated and decide NOT to wear a mask. I get “your body, your choice”. But as I watch the number of new cases go thru the roof…the local businesses shutting down because workers are calling off sick…. schools are in person then virtual YET AGAIN it IS hard not to feel as if your choice is affecting the rest of us!
This isn’t politics for me. I just want to get on with my semi-retirement. I want to travel worry free. I want to stop and chat, when we meet and not worry about what I might be taking home to the baby, or my 96-year-old father. I understand we will never know “NORMAL” again…. but I do feel as if we can know better…we can know life without lockdowns and Zooms. And I don’t want to look at you and feel as your choices for your body are seriously impacting my choices for my body.
We know from history, separate but equal doesn’t work didn’t work when it was based on race….and it won’t work now. But we do know there are some things that will work.
We have to think about more than ourselves. The choices I make can affect you and those around me. Plain and simple. I can think about only myself…or others. For me some things are just that simple.