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What Will You Do (After the Vaccine)? The Midweek Question

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What Will You Do (After the Vaccine)? The Midweek Question

Mar 10, 2021
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Share this post

What Will You Do (After the Vaccine)? The Midweek Question

steady.substack.com

We all need hope, especially after a dark and disorientating year. We can see flickers of better days as the vaccine news continues to show that the wonders of science and medicine have the power to deliver us from this godforsaken deadly plague. But even as we hope, we must be vigilant in holding on to public health protocols to prevent another wave. And we also must take time to mourn all those who have passed, and to provide comfort to those still ill and the bereaved. That includes undoubtedly many of you. This pandemic has cast a wide net of despair, but it has hit especially hard communities that already suffer from our historical, social, and economic inequalities. 

Nevertheless, we must find ways to go on, and to yearn for the sustenance that a return to human connectivity can bring - to family and community, to schools, concerts, dinners out, movies, and just plain hugs. 

I was thinking of a day that I once might have taken for granted and now feels like a dream, one I dare to believe could return. It’s a sunny Sunday in early summer. I awaken and take a morning walk. The sidewalks are crowded with families and friends, laughing, holding hands, walking close to each other. I can see the smiles on their faces. There is a smile on my own face as well, because I have tickets to the ballgame. By the time we arrive, the stadium is packed and the cheers are loud. The game is close, a pitching duel. I eye the scoreboard. Extra innings? I know I will have to leave shortly because Jean and I have early dinner reservations with friends before a night at the theater. It’s a play by Horton Foote.

So my question for you is when the vaccine has fully come, when hopefully this scourge has receded, what can you not wait to do? 

As always, I hope that you share your thoughts with others in the Steady community, and that you can react to each other’s ideas, with respect and empathy. This pandemic has proven yet again the need for communication and togetherness. Hopefully that will be in person with much greater frequency in the near future. 

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Some ground rules for these Wednesday chats (and also the comments sections on other posts):

  • I want a space where people feel safe to express their views, as long as they are offered in good faith.

  • I want a space where ideas can be challenged, especially my own.

  • I want debate. But I want it to be civil.

  • I want people to come here with open minds, and open hearts.

  • I want this to be fun as well as serious.

We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.

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