One Year On

Another St. Patrick’s Day rolls around and the pubs are still closed.  There will be no masses gathered for parades or empty beer bottles clogging the gutters of Temple Bar.

Who would have thought one year later we’d still be in lockdown.  Except for a brief period in summer and a couple weeks in December, Ireland continues to be in high level lockdown.  We don’t have the medical facilities to cope with the huge numbers of sick people that Covid-19 has wrought.

Am I sick of not being able to travel more than 5 km and spend my days staring at the same four walls?  You betcha!  However, I’m grateful to live in a 3 bedroom home instead of a studio or one bedroom apartments, so I can change the scenery a bit more than some.  I’m grateful I still have a job and can work from home.  I’m grateful that I, my family, and closest friends have avoided the worst of Covid-19.  I’m grateful the vaccines are out and more and more people are being vaccinated every day (though more slowly in Ireland than places like the UK or US).

Am I anxious to finally get this behind me?  Of course, as I’m sure many of you are as well.  But it’s not over yet, not even if you’ve been vaccinated (you may not get sick but there is still a chance you can pass it along to others). 

If I have to put up with restrictions for another 6 months or even a year, I will.  Too many people are still dying around the world, around the country, and possibly even around your neighborhood.  I don’t want someone’s death on my conscience, so I will continue to follow the rules, wear my (uncomfortable) mask, and limit where I go.  With the vaccines, it does appear the end is in sight, but there is no need to rush. 

It’s been challenging being creative during this time, mostly because I work all day in the same room where I write and craft, so when I’m finished working for the day, I want out of that room.  The odd poem still pops into my head and I’ve been editing some short stories and recently, after a four year hiatus, started another round of editing on my first novel.  I’ve painted a few pictures and have a few in the works.  In a world still being ravaged by Covid-19, I whipped up these little Covid Clovers to send a little good luck around the world. One rough and ready, the other more refined. The leaves close, but not touching, yet the heart still beats.

Stay safe, stay well, and remember those who are in serious circumstances than most of us are, even with the restrictions.

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In deference to one of my readers who pointed out these aren’t Shamrocks because they have 4 leaves, I didn’t actually call them Shamrocks. However, I did link them with St. Patrick’s Day which should, in theory, be a Shamrock (reference between the paintings and the holiday have been corrected), but then again, if you really want to get technical (and I’m not looking to start an international incident), St. Patrick was Welsh by birth and I’m a Pagan. So let’s keep things light and go with the spirit of goodwill in which they were intended.

PS – here’s an update on the state of my keyboard one year on, too – four letters totally gone and many fading fast.

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