This blog almost joined my considerable pile of abandoned projects. Here’s to resurrecting it.

Some clever people say (and write) this is because we, facing a crisis like Corona, go into regression after a while. It happens when the adrenaline rush of the emergency response runs out; we realize that the future is uncertain, lose our sense of purpose, and develop all kinds of weird behaviors. It can be depressing, but you probably already know that.

Some even say we regress to our teenage self, into a state where we’re once again trying to find out who we are.

But enough of philosophizing. My country, like many others, is opening up again. This may not be the right thing to do, but I for sure rejoiced that my mum and dad didn’t have to have quarantine birthdays. They live outside the city, which we weren’t allowed to leave for two months.

So, I felt like a schoolkid at the beginning of the holidays when we once again drove past the city limits—that was quite the pivotal moment. We had a reasonably phyiscally distanced birthday lunch together and celebrated my parents. The kids and us even had the chance to see Walnut, their golden retriever (on the photo above), and to go on a little hike together in the neighboring hills.

Mind you, we went to a place that’s not ten kilometers from where I was raised, and I’ve never been there.

We even saw a flower that looked like the coronavirus. Those have probably been there all the time, but didn’t register before.

We even saw a train. Though it was a freighter, it was a sight for sore eyes, much like the odd plane we now see once every couple of days.

I know the danger isn’t gone, and the lockdown is not over for good. We still wear masks to the city, and especially for shopping. But I also realize—if I hadn’t done so earlier—that we are social animals much more than we expected. Even I am, and I consider myself an introvert.

So, I’m also grateful. I’m grateful that my parents are in good health and they didn’t have to have a quarantine birthday. I’m also grateful that we could be out and about again, safety distancing and all.

We also brought a few peonies from my mum’s garden.

Peonies are popular decoration for the feast of Pentecost around here. Funny how I haven’t noticed these flowers in the living room for almost a week. Made me look quite silly just now.