Up, Up, and Away!

This week two things happened that changed my life significantly. First, it has been two weeks since I received my second COVID-19 vaccine. That means that the vaccine is now working optimally in my body. I remember just a few months ago how I thought this day would never arrive.

Second, Ventura County moved from the COVID infection purple tier (the most severe) to the red tier. This means that dining rooms, movie theaters, museums, gyms, and other businesses can resume limited indoor operations. It also means that vaccination rates are increasing while coronavirus infections decrease.

And I have to say that I feel wonderful. I’m excited, energized, and just happy. There is a looseness in my neck muscles and a renewed interest in the world beyond my doorstep. I am loving this sense of freedom!

So, for the first time since the fall, we have seen family—and we have actually hugged each other for the first time in a year. I’m meeting one of my sister friends for an outdoor lunch next week. On Sunday I will attend church, and I have an appointment for a pedicure. We also have a houseguest (who is also fully vaccinated) arriving soon. And we are planning two trips to visit close friends in a few months.

Yes, I am happy, and the very strange thing about it is that I have not experienced this beautiful, not-a-cloud-in-the-sky, lighter-than-air feeling in a very long time. Not to say that I have spent the last thirteen months completely under a dark cloud. I have enjoyed myself, laughed, and even felt a measure of peace. The difference is that I don’t have the feeling that the sky could fall at anytime, and that, my friends, is hope unfolding. 

To cement that reality, I sent out a “Save the Date” text to the usual crowd: “Fourth of July party—our house, accompanied by fireworks, of course.”

All in all, I feel like I’m on the runway, ready to take off. And here’s my invitation to you: Come fly with me! The sky is the limit.

And you are invited to the party too!