The Silver Lining

This is the last photo I had taken before landing in what looked to me like a scene taken directly from a futuristic dystopian 80’s flick. I took this photo because I couldn’t believe how sad it looked compared to where I had just come from. I had just gotten done living in Hawaii on the island of Oahu, for one year and four months. I just so happened to be moving in the space between the beginning murmurs of the COVID-19 pandemic and videos of Italians telling us they wish they would have taken this more seriously. The plan was to stop in Seattle to visit my friend and future roommates, fly home to Ohio for a visit, swing by NYC and drop in to see my Dad in Cape Coral, Florida. I packed everything, said my goodbyes and I was off. Those were my last moments of freedom before quarantine took place.

The conversation surrounding COVID-19 had started escalating but I was still clinging to the hope that this was all going to be over soon. My friend and I ran around town, eating out, buying groceries and morning coffees. Caution and hand sanitizer was always present, but most people weren’t wearing masks. Three days passed and I was back in the air. The day this photo was taken was the day all the restaurants and bars closed in Ohio. Flying in, the bleakness that was becoming my visit became apparent and in that moment of disappointment where I let that sink in, I took this photo. Gone was my hope for a month of adventuring or picking up part-time work at a restaurant. Server by trade, I was realizing this was going to change everything for me. And it did.

My heart breaks for those who have been negatively impacted by this. I personally feel so blessed that serendipitously I was in my childhood home during this time. Next to my home are the woods I grew up in, where I could roam about without restriction as much as I wanted. Much better, I often thought, than an apartment in a high-rise. I also managed to find a job which I now get to take to Seattle and work remotely. This is something I’ve wanted for years. That dystopian scene metamorphosized into the most beautiful, lush green grass and budding plants and I’m reminded of the beauty of this land.

I look at this photo and it’s bittersweet. As an avid traveler it has been hard to stay rooted longer than I intended and yet, everything has worked out better than I could have imagined. I’m still dreaming and scheming. Planning future adventures but overall, this has been good for me.