We are all grieving. For the loss of simply being able to hug friends and family; to gather at the local watering hole and share a drink with friends, old and new. We’re grieving the loss of routines and patterns of life, of normalcy.

I think we’ve moved past denial. Many of us are pissed off at the “stupid virus” as my grandson and I call it.

We’re all bargaining “I’ll wear my mask in the grocery store but not in the park.” Not that there’s any real entity to bargain with.

Depression? Oh yeah. We are all experiencing some level of depression: loss of “normal,” freedom, hugs!

Acceptance, I guess so. We all have a stash of face masks and hand sanitizer at the ready. We’re starting to accept that this virus will most likely be with us, in some form, for a long time to come. That is the new normal. For now.

So, where do we go from here? How do we move forward? Remember the quote from Emmanuel?

“Your life is not your master, it is your child.” The mirages of people’s minds become the reality of their lives, whether they have any conscious intention or not.

So, what DO you want in 2022?

I was going to write a story about what my future might look like. “Once upon a time, Gailie …” Choose how you will answer that question. Be outrageous. There are no limits, only your imagination. Have fun!