The road back to normal..

Remember Sunday drives?

Back in the day, before 24/7 cable TV, families would get into their cars on Sunday and go for drives..aimless drives.. just to look at life outside of the neighborhood. There were no stops to shop, or even to fill up the car, because everything (at least in Germany) was closed on Sundays.

Yesterday my husband and I took another one of our impromptu, mid-week “Sunday drives.” Sometimes I just get an itch to go out and look at life outside of our community..to see what people are up to in these strange times, to see what’s open, to see who’s out there..especially now as (most of) Florida is in Phase One of re-opening.

Here is what we found: things are looking up.

There was actual traffic..almost an annoying level of it which was incredibly reassuring.

Private planes are once again on approach over our town.. not anywhere near the usual number, but it’s reassuring to hear them anyway.  No way to know if these folks are just stopping to refuel on their way to the Bahamas or staying at their homes on the island but I don’t really care.. welcome back!

Some stores downtown are open, not for business yet, but the owners are there painting, sweeping and washing windows. Cars were parked in formerly empty spots along the main road, a few couples were strolling hand in hand..there was life!

“Things” are no doubt looking up..but there were also signs that this pandemic has exacted a cost. Several stores had brown paper in the windows and signage that had been removed. It’s sad to see this and I fear we will inevitably be seeing more.

So yes, while the sun is rising again for many, it has set for good on others- which leaves me with a whole basketful of emotions.. gratitude and anticipation tempered with grief and sympathy and a strong sense of accountability to be a responsible participant in this fragile first step on the road back to “normal.”