We have been remiss in posting a blog for a while, but that is because we have been happily reintegrating into our new, old lives!
Family reunions, graduation and wedding celebrations, trips to see out-of-town children, theatre involvement, and going out to restaurants and parties have once again filled up our calendars—and gratefully so! I have finally hugged and kissed the grandchildren I have missed!
The simplicity of life during lockdown is but a memory, but the lessons we learned about what is truly important—and how it can be snatched away—still stay with us. The threat still looms. If we have learned anything, I hope it is respect for others and the social responsibility to keep our world safe. I also hope that the awe and tribute for the medical, teaching, first response, and food/retail communities will persist. Many dedicated individuals within these professions are nominally paid, and yet, they selflessly sacrificed and were paramount to our survival and endurance. I also acknowledge and thank our amazing scientists, whose brilliance and rapid development of vaccinations saved our lives and our world (and kept us as safe as possible in the interim).
I hope we embrace the creativity and resourcefulness that resulted from our efforts to persist in the face of adversity. Many of these strategies can continue to enhance our lives even though a return to standard practices is now resuming. Indirectly, perhaps the pandemic has contributed to improvements in our quality of life.
As work and schools continue to open back up, there are concerns, learning curves, and transitioning that must be endured. David and I have recently contributed to an AAPC book (expected to be published soon) that will assist autistic people in this process. Stay tuned for that! As David expresses in that chapter, let us remember what we learned and use it to help in the future. As a social studies teacher, he reminds us that history frequently repeats itself and that major adverse events have occurred in every past decade. We are not free from risk, but we have proven our resiliency.
Good luck, and welcome back!