Are We There Yet?

Remember car trips as a kid? One aspect of the trip was the repeated questing of parents, "Are we there yet?" It meant that we were tired of riding.  We wanted to be there to run around and be free from the confines of the car.  The destination was not as important as the trip being over.  My question these days is "Are we there yet?"

And the destination I refer to today is the end of the pandemic.  Life stopped for a while.  During the pause, we stayed home, stayed away from other people, and cancelled all of our other plans.  When life reopened, it wasn't back to normal, it was different.  Socially distanced, limited entertainment, mostly home and away from others with masks.

The virus is still here.  It hasn't gotten nicer, easier, less catching.  It is a vicious killer.  It is sneaky and deadly.  It has no cure, few treatment options and it kills old people without mercy.  It kills younger people too, just not as many.  It hasn't gone away.  It creeps among us.  The air carries it or our hands to nose or mouth or eyes.  The pandemic has slowed down a bit, but it is still here.

Someday, there may be a vaccine.  There may be treatments.  But, those are not sure things.  Until then, some people choose to ignore the danger and some will pay the price and some will gift others for their carelessness.  The journey continues.  We are still not safe to run and play and walk about carefree.

Someday, perhaps I will look back and think, that was a rough time, I am glad that it is over.  But, until then, I will wear a mask, carefully consider where I go and who I see.  I will wash my hands again and again.  I will ask myself, Are we there yet?