The world is slowly reopening. I’m fully vaccinated and the mid-Atlantic states have already experienced their first heatwave of 2021. Now that Covid-19 and her oppressive hold on how we live and connect appear to be lifting, everyone I know is breathing out a collective sigh of relief. Since I’ve survived my second dose of Moderna, the unofficial start of summer gave way to a slew of invites from friends ready to resume the hot boy summer 2020 and Miss Rona denied us all.
Despite the amount of Americans receiving vaccines, no one should be throwing caution to the wind just yet.
It was this time last year that I spoke of how myself and my same-gender-loving brethren needed to redefine pride and how we would exist quarantining while gay. This year I ask the question, are we going full throttle with vibrantly living our lives as we did pre-pandemic?
People (my friends) on social media are already announcing road trips, days of leisure at the beach, and posting screenshots of passports resting on luggage indicating an international getaway is in progress. The word is out that after being cooped up in the house for 14 months, ain’t nothing gonna break our stride, ain’t nothing gonna slow us down.
Will we, in anticipation of scaled-down Pride events, remember to practice self-care and follow CDC recommendations?
There is the pesky little issue of safety. We are, however, still amid a global pandemic. Despite the amount of Americans receiving vaccines, no one should be throwing caution to the wind just yet. Although we’re all sick and tired of being sick and tired of Covid life, the valuable lessons we embraced over the last year remain true. Washing your hands (this should have never been a foreign concept) is still a must, practicing social distancing, wearing masks in large crowds, and just using common sense goes a long way.
Now that we’re booking our summer plans, and hauling our pandemic Dad bods (or maybe that’s just me) to the local watering hole, What will we do differently? Will we stay present in the moment while reconnecting with family and friends? We’ve all learned what was truly important and I hope that we will continue to make the necessary adjustments to fully engage with those who matter. Also, will we, in anticipation of scaled-down Pride events, remember to practice self-care and follow CDC recommendations? I hope so. I’ve missed US and I’m excited about who we get to be now that the social landscape of how the world moves has been permanently altered.
As we begin our new normal, pat yourself on the back for making it this far during a historical medical emergency that took the lives of far too many people. We now possess the ability to navigate through life with a new and broadened perspective. More importantly, we can get back to answering the Uber important question of will our summer clothes still fit and are we going back to dyeing the gray in our beards?
Happy Pride!
