I was the only one in the store waiting for a VAXX. I was accompanied by my longtime love and companion, who had gotten her first Pfizer shot the day before. Seems more momentous & wonderful and life-affirming than I realized. Didn't feel the needle, it took a minute, and I was back on the road fortified with the Moderna. Hat-Tip to my younger sister for setting it all up, and to Dolly Parton for contributing to the development of the vaccine, and to the Biden administration for taking the virus, and vaccine distribution, seriously.
Amazing. I did feel microscopic waves of euphoria.
So, so happy. It's been a long year of lock-down. My companion and I have done everything the experts have told us to do: physical/social distancing, frequent hand-washing, staying home, masking (never went out once in the last year without wearing a mask), avoiding bars & restaurants, avoiding crowds of people, eating well, sleeping well, hoping to avoid getting sick with covid. I think we were amazingly lucky too. It's such a contagious, deadly virus, some folks were just "in the wrong place, at the wrong time." Somehow, we avoided that fate.
We just tried to be smart. Listened to the science, listened to the medical community, listened to other intelligent beings who shared their knowledge. We studied the charts, we read up on the virus, and the vaccines and other treatments. We pretty much became self-taught, amateur virologists.
So anyway. Everything changed yesterday. The Covid Cloud of Doom & Death sort of lifted a bit. On the other hand, nothing changes. We will stay vigilant: wear masks, keep our exposure to other folks limited. For this to work, most of us will need to get vaccinated. It seems like the smart way forward.
Unfortunately, there are the toxic knuckleheads amongst us. Those folks who pretend that the virus is a hoax, some grand plot, and those folks shooting bleach into their lungs, and living in deep, ignorant denial. Not sure what happens if 30% of the USA refuses to get vaccinated. This story has legs. Surges and spikes could be coming. Stay tuned.
But, still, we have joined the ranks of the VAXXED. Hoping for better days. There are glimmers of light all around us!
