The world will be in motion again one day soon.
Usually, I share a tip for #traveltiptuesday on my agency Facebook page. It will typically be something like a gadget for weighing your own suitcase before you go to the airport or advice about easier transfers to and from your hotel. Well, today is Tuesday, and I just had nothing new or creative to offer. Ever had those days? Posting pictures and trips and such has actually been great therapy through this Covid-19 mess! In a bad mood? I go look at some brochures and post trip ideas. But today, I just felt blah and had no fun packing gadgets on my mind or even a desire to search for inspiration for a travel tip.
All I could think about was the fact that everyone is in a holding pattern, and everything is different in 2020. Parents are faced with decisions they don't normally have to make about sending their children to school this fall. Schools, churches, businesses, everyone is facing decisions, and none of it is easy. And yes, some people must decide whether to cancel vacations, and we travel advisors must decide how to advise each client. For some of us, life is literally on hold right now.
In the beginning, we heard lots of things like, "We're in this together," "This too shall pass," and "We'll get through this." Those things just tick me off now. Like, if I hear the ripply organ music from the commercial on the Comedy Channel one more time, I'm going to throw a chair at the TV. Is it just me?
Sure, some of life feels sort of normal again, four months later, but much of it still doesn't. Now, more than ever, we are beginning to wonder if things will ever get back to normal. It's like we are all in a train station, knowing the train will be late, but we're getting antsy. This is the time when we really do need to pull together, especially in the sense of just being nice to each other.
You don't know what the next person is dealing with. Maybe they have lost a loved one to Covid. Maybe another person's child has suffered with depression and really needs to go back to school in a mask and at least see his friends from 6 feet away so it doesn't get worse. Maybe another had to close their business after 30 years of heart, soul, and sweat, and has no idea what to do next. Be kind, always.
And if I can just get past that organ music . . . the truth is that this too shall pass. We're all doing the best we can in the meantime, so let's continue to hang in there. Before we know it, this will be over, and we will see the clouds part. Then we can get back to living, working, and traveling.
Until then, occupy your mind with hope and beautiful things. It makes the wait more pleasant.
