When school let out for the Summer, Sara and the kids and I drove up to Georgia. Our only stop on the drive was a rest area on the Turnpike. Surprisingly (because Florida), about 80% of the people inside had masks on. It was my first encounter with a lot of people indoors since quarantine began and my anxiety was high. Mom, Dad, and Granny were leaving the lake to go back home that day, but they stayed for a few hours of overlap after we arrived. We spent time on the dock in our first socially distanced family get-together. Sara and the kids stayed for a week. I stayed for what has ended up being an indefinite visit.
From the Album: 2020
One of the most useful lessons I learned on my year off was to live presently; no matter what is going on, to be mindful of what I am feeling and to listen to what those feelings are telling me. That skill was valuable throughout 2020 as I had to deal with lockdown and the nonstop stream of unfortunate news. The entire year felt like my anxiety and depression Super Bowl. I’ve been learning how to manage, learning how to sit with my feelings, learning how to be alone and okay. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult. Just look at what I let happen to my facial hair. But I took time to enjoy the small things and even learned some new things. And hopefully 2021 will bring slivers of hope and progress.
