Up in the air

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

For many people, the pandemic has put a lot of plans up in the air. October 1, 2019, I stepped off a plane after nearly a 20-hour adventure to get home. For months, I’d been providing hospice, arriving to BC in June and not leaving until several months later. Up in air had been the norm.

I’d hoped to take the time to maybe travel with my family, to see 2020 anew in some type of positive light. Instead, another friend died. A family member got sick. And then, a worldwide pandemic hit.

So often, we plan tidy courses, thinking of life like a jet plane. We pack our bags, thinking we know what to expect. And then, we arrive to the tarmac, only to find we’re not taking off in a plane, but a hot air balloon. We have to decide what few things to bring. Sometimes, we wait to live, trying to ebb through the hard times. Other times, we look at the hard times, and realize this too is life.

My best friend died September 30, 2019. I held her hand with her son as she took her last breath. It will soon be a year since that day - almost too soon to believe. My family lives small, enjoying bike rides, cooking pizza from scratch, and finding laughter. You see, laughter also sends you up in the air. For a moment, you’re weightless.

Many of my plans are up in the air right now. I’m still trying to find a way to live and learn to enjoy the view.