How Pandemic Life has Ruined Twirling

I miss Normal Life.

You know, that time when we could go places and do fun things and not have nightmares about giving Covid-19 to someone we love.

Berkeley and Pozy Sept 2020.jpg

I miss things being as they are supposed to be. Not this misshapen version of life.

Lincoln squished ball Sept 2020.jpg

The dead people — over 197,000 in the USA — I want them alive. I want all the broken hearts to be whole again.

I want my innocence back — I did not want to know all the things about people. The selfishness. The ignorance. The racism.

It all hurts my heart.

I want to do my own version of twirling again.

Berkeley Twirl Sept 2020.jpg

And I can’t.

Berkeley and Sparkle Sept 2020.jpg

I thought I would venture out in settings I considered careful — to twirl around the show ring with my dogs.

And then I saw photos of a Berner person proudly showing her dog with her silly gauze mask on her chin.

That is the kind of person I would need to trust.

I pulled my entries.

If my tribe is wrong about masks, all that has happened is we have worn masks.

If her tribe is wrong about masks, people die.

I do not get it. Wouldn’t one put up with something annoying and inconvenient if it might save a life?

Like a seat belt?

A designated driver?

A stop sign?

A Building Inspector?

A leash?

Pozy Sept 14.jpg

You know what I wish?

Berkeley Make a Wish Sept 2020.jpg

I wish they cared.

About the dead people and all the broken hearts.

About how their ___________ (insert any number of unflattering character traits) is ruining things for the rest of us in small ways — and devastating ways.

I miss Normal Life but even more, I miss the peace of mind I used to have twirling through the world…

Berkeley Got Twirl Sept 2020 (1).jpg

…not knowing I was surrounded by people who would happily kill others with their ignorance.

Their very intentional ignorance.

Pandemic Life is exhausting and sad, isn’t it? For so many reasons.