2020 was rough.

By the end of it, we had been through a year of quarantines and self-isolation. Close contacts. Covid positives. Masks. Pods. Outside of my immediate family, I didn’t have much in-person exposure as I was always navigating our moving pieces and blended families. Everything turned upside down. Holidays changed – due to Covid. Travel changed – due to Covid. Relationships changed – due to Covid.

Presidents and politics changed also. In the two months trailing the election, nothing felt real anymore or maybe I really was a blind sheep and the lies were real. I observed many people living their best life for what they embraced as their reality. The fact that they would scream from the rooftops that they were doing whatever the hell they wanted was the part that confused me the most. And the hatred for another human that doesn’t feel like you. It got out of control.

By the end of 2020 and into January, every person became a potential threat to one another. I became a threat for carrying a novel virus. I was also threat because of my political views. It’s all taken a toll.

The day after ‘The Insurrection,’ I jumped in my car and headed south to Anna Maria Island. My husband and I rented a place for a month for a change of scenery. We are exploring ideas for a working retirement home. I used to vacation on AMI as a kid, visiting my dad’s parents and my cousins in Bradenton.

One of my greatest joys of my one winter month down there was that it felt incredible to walk and run outside for miles, in the sun, where people are friendly and smile a lot. I suspect many are from Michigan but with Covid still in the mix, we didn’t meet many people or eat in many restaurants. My favorite thing to do was to sit and listen to the Gulf roar and explore this beautiful area. We’ve already booked for 2022.