living through covid-19 has brought many changes in our lives, and the demands of avoiding infection have caused all of us to give up things that we love to do. movies and travel are the two things my wife and i have missed most of all. we watch a lot of older movies here at home, but that's not the same as going out to the theater and seeing a movie that's been recently released. even now, when most new movies are also available to watch at home, it's a different experience from seeing the movie on a theater screen. we do take some day trips from our home, but we long to get away for weeks at a time to go places we've never been before or to revisit some place we especially loved when we went there before. we love our home and our time together in it, but we can't understand people who are perfectly content to stay home all the time.
one of my favorite movies is "auntie mame." while i like the musical version (just plain "mame") with lucille ball, the original with rosalind russell is the one i could watch over and over. my favorite line in it is, "life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving." every time i watch it, my wanderlust is stoked, and i want to pack my bags and head out. we watched a dvd of queen latifah's great movie, last holiday, for the first time a few nights ago, and it, too, made us long for a trip to some place far away where the climate and architecture are different from what we experience every day.
i'm reading a book now called "ten years a nomad" it's by one of my favorite travel bloggers, matt kepnes. his travel blog is "nomadic matt," and i've gotten lots of great travel tips from reading it. his book has fueled the itch to wander, and i'm dying to plan trips. the planning is almost as much fun as the actual doing. figuring out where to stay, what to see, how to get to all the places we want to see, whether to drive, fly, or go by train or some combination of modes of transport are things i can joyfully spend hours doing. then comes the making of reservations and finally the packing. all the preparation is as much a part of the excitement as the trip itself.
now that vaccines are available, the time is coming when we can return to a more normal life. we know it will be months before we can safely venture out for long trips or feel safe on a plane or train, so long trips are still out of the question for the time being. we have been to the movies a few times recently, since it is easy to social distance in large theaters if we go during the right time of day, but there have been so few movies released in the past several months. one of these days we can return to long road and rail trips, flights overseas, frequent visits to theaters, and dinners and card games with friends. those times can't come soon enough. meanwhile, we work at being content with life as it has to be for the present.
may each of us find happiness in the daily routine of life. may we make the best of what is possible for now, even while we long for what used to be normal. may we remember that all of us are enduring the changes that are necessary to stay safe and in good health. may we take the steps we need to protect ourselves and others. may we not entertain resentments for the hardships that this pandemic has caused for so many of us, and may we look with optimism toward the future that lies ahead thanks to those who developed vaccines and those who administer them. shalom
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