Wednesday, February 17, 2021

What Are You Looking Forward To?

I saw this question asked on a blog that I follow and thought it was interesting, so I decided to respond with my answer on my own blog. 

The question, of course, is referring to what are you looking forward to after COVID?

Now before I answer, allow me to repeat something I've shared in past posts about COVID, which is that I definitely feel there were positive things I learned from this virus. However challenging and inconvenient COVID made things for all of us this past year, I sincerely see it as a time of enlightenment.

With all the restrictions the virus placed on what we could and could not do, it forced me to stop, look, and listen to what is really important. I feel as though my priorities and my hopes for my future are different than how they were last year.

Several days ago, I found myself listening to an oldie but goodie 90's song on my smartphone and was suddenly transported back to that time. A time in my life when I couldn't even image anything like COVID in the future. In retrospect, I see how often I took everyday living for granted; incomprehensible to me that it could ever be taken away. 

COVID has taught me to live right now. And live it consciously. 

Another thing I've learned is to set an intention before stepping out of bed in the morning by asking myself, "What am I going to contribute (give) to the world today?"

With all the drama that's been going on not only here in America but all over the world, it's so easy to focus on the drama and get drawn deeper into it, and then add to it. 

But I choose to focus on what I can do in my everyday life to make the world a better place.  

Therefore, I am extremely grateful for what COVID revealed to me.

But at the same time, like so many of you, I am looking forward to when certain things return to, dare I say, normal. 

1) Hugging (and shaking hands):

I am so looking forward to hugging people. And I'm not talking about going up to a complete stranger and hugging them, I'm talking about hugging people that I know, like friends and people who I work with, and no longer feeling apprehensive about, "Oh..wait, should I hug them? Are they okay with that?" 

I miss giving someone I care about a big ol' teddy bear hug. I used to work with a woman who loved to give hugs. And the first time she hugged me she said, " Wow...now THAT'S a hug." Because I hugged her back like I really meant it.

I also miss being introduced to someone for the first time and shaking their hand. You can tell so much about a person through a handshake, whether it be a man or a woman. 

To be honest, I have never been frightened by COVID. Not even in the beginning. I don't know why, but I've never been paranoid about other people standing close to me or touching me. The only reason I wear a mask and maintain 6 feet of distance from others is for them, because I can see how petrified people are. But as far as my own safety? I have not a single drop of fear.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to hugging again.

2) No Masks

Which brings me to my second looking forward to: No Masks. I am beyond over wearing a mask. And the primary reason is because I can't stand anything interfering with my breathing. I'm one of those people who loves to have wind/air freely blowing on my face. In fact, I love it so much that I sleep (even in the winter) with my ceiling fan on because I like air hitting my face when I sleep. 

I also long to see a person's complete face when I'm talking to them.

And another thing, I so look forward to seeing SMILES again. 😃

3) Dining Inside

I look forward to ordering something either in a restaurant or cafe, and sitting inside to eat and/or drink it. There is a delightful coffee spot in Old City, Philadelphia that I love to meet up with a friend of mine and enjoy a coffee and pastry or bagel, while sitting inside amongst the cool-looking atmosphere (local artwork and photographs on the walls), listening to the great music they play.   

4) Theatre

I can't wait to be able to go to the theatre again. Having been a stage actor myself, there is nothing more thrilling than attending the theatre and seeing a live performance.

Going to the theatre (to me, anyway) is a spiritual experience because a theatre is like entering a church. It's a sacred space.

To be able to walk into an arena; sit there with other people; and enjoy something happening in real time right before your eyes, is like no other experience.

And that goes for both performing and watching. 

5) New York City

This month marks one whole year since I've been to New York City. And anyone who has been reading my blog for several years, knows how much I love that city. So it's been very hard for me.

I am intensely homesick for the city I call "my home." 

Hopefully sometime during this spring or summer, the city will be more open. The whole reason for me being in NYC is to do things. And to do things with crowds of people all around me. I mean, that's what gives New York its soul and its energy -- the people. 

I also can't wait for the bus schedule to open with more available times, because right now the buses to New York are running on such limited schedules.

Yes, New York has been through a lot of turmoil these past 12 months. However, I know New York very well because I've witness its high times and low times. And what's so amazing about the Big Apple is that it always rises from the ashes and comes back stronger. 

Always.  

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So there you have it, folks. Five things that I'm looking forward to after COVID.

Oh, and I forgot one more thing.

This is how I feel about wearing a mask...

Have a grrrrrreat rest of your week, everyone! 💗

P.S. Please feel free to express what you are looking forward to after COVID