Earlier this month, after achieving full vaccination status, we ventured on an out of state road trip; our first in almost 18 months. While the news reporters were interviewing people excitedly telling their plans to go to national parks and the beach and Disneyland, we had no such aspirations. Our goal was much more modest but understandable to any parent. We wanted to hug our daughter close and tight. No more Zoom dinners. No more putting our arms around the laptop screen and making hugging sounds when we say good-bye. No. We were after a real, honest wrapping our arms around each other in a tight circle. And we were willing to travel 1100 miles, staying in hotels where we didn't know people, eating in restaurants with people who weren't wearing masks, to get that hug.
As horrible as the pandemic is, the virus has clarified what is most important to me. It's not stuff. It's not houses and trips. Although travel is fun and broadening. Being with each other is what is important. To walk in a park and smile at someone and see a smile come back to me. I was so excited when choir practice started again. We all wore masks but there we were, singing together.
Together. A wonderful word. We were together. And that's what I wanted. I wanted to be together with my daughter.
A hug, one from a child I hadn't seen since January 1, 2020 was what I craved after and sought for. When she walked through the front door of the hotel I couldn't move fast enough. Her father and I surrounded her and held her tight and smelled her hair and whispered how much we loved her, how good it felt to hold her. I'm sure we squeezed the breath out of her but holding her that tight was reassuring us that she was safe and had made it to the other side of the virus.
A physician was interviewed early on when vaccines first became available. She was asked what was the first thing she looked forward to doing and she replied, "I want to hug my mom". Well, sweetie, your mom wants to hug you, too. I hope you both got your hug.
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