I’m Still Here

I’m still here.

After an incredulous 2021, it’s amazing that I find myself being able to muster more to say than that phrase. I, and I suspect along with many others, expected the year to be filled with celebration - after all, the vaccine was coming and soon COVID would be behind us, right? But instead, the year was less jubilant than I hoped, filled with an equal share of heartache and anguish.

The event that will forever encapsulate my 2021 and change my life actually had nothing to do with COVID - instead, it was the sudden passing of my father. I still find myself struggling with the rollercoaster of emotions. Pain, grief, and anger still lie inside me and I know it will continue to take time to heal.

Still, there were many high points to remember as well. After a full year of sheltering in place, washing groceries immediately after buying them, and hardly seeing any friends or family, my wife and I got vaccinated. We became social again, hosted small dinner parties, ate at restaurants, and traveled more.

In 2021, we got to see two National Parks: Joshua Tree and Glacier. We also spent New Year’s in Santa Rosa with our friends, drinking wine and watching our children play together. The memories from these adventures will forever be cherished in my heart.

Now here we are in 2022, nearly two years into this pandemic. I remain hopeful that an ending is within sight but with variants like Delta and now Omicron, we continue to be vigilant, trying to strike that crucial yet exhausting balance of being safe for our unvaccinated children while maintaining some degree of normalcy in life.

I have no idea what to expect this year, but I’ll continue to be here, trying my best.