Well, here we are. It’s been exactly one full year since quarantine started and our first stay at home orders were put into place.
I took the following photos about 2 months into the pandemic but never shared them because I wasn’t sure exactly when or how to use them. Now seems like a good time. When I went out that day to photograph the eerie empty parking lots and closed businesses that we were all missing, I never expected that one year later, we’d still be here, waiting for if and when things might be normal again.
Here are some of those images mixed with some of what we have experienced over the past year. Feel free to add to my list <3
One year ago we were told to stay home for 2 weeks
One year ago stay at home orders were put in place
One year ago daycare shut down
One year ago the streets emptied
One year ago stores closed their doors
One year ago we shut ours to the outside world
One year ago we got divided into essential and non-essential
One year ago many lost their jobs
One year ago some of our favorite restaurants and stores closed their doors to never reopen again
One year ago schools closed
One year without dining in a restaurant
One year without going to brunch
One year of zoom meetings
One year of trying to entertain a toddler
One year of political, social and racial unrest
One year without barbeques and cookouts with friends
One year without visiting family wearing masks and hand sanitizing
One year full or concern about unknowingly getting or giving the virus
One year without playgrounds
One year with no movie theaters
One year without theme parks
One year without babysitters
One year of figuring it all out on our own
One year of wondering if we should clean our groceries
One year of working from home
One year without meeting friends for drinks
One year with no live music
One year of constant worry
One year of being glued to the news in hopes of a miracle
One year of teaching our children how to wear masks, learning what a virus is and how it spreads. Teaching our little ones more than they should have to know right now.
One year of missed birthdays, weddings and milestone celebrations
One year of missed family funerals
One year of cancelled vacations
One year of genuine frustration
BUT ALSO… In the midst of it all, there were blessings in disguise:
One year of quality family time
One year of practicing patience
One year of learning how to manage a household in a way never needed before
One year of growth
One year of appreciating the small things
One year of cooking healthier meals at home
One year of turning worry into hope
One year of seeing the best and the worst in people
One year of intense bonding with my son
One year of learning how to run my own business amongst the most difficult of circumstances
One year of trying new things
One year of what truly matters to us in life
One year of using technology to stay connected
One year of wearing comfy pants
One year of finding joy in the small things
This list can go on and on, both with the positives and negatives.
Needless to say, it’s been a year of growth, change, challenges and tested patience.
I can only hope that there is a bright light on the horizon. And that next time, society can do a better job of coming together for the common good because obviously, that was a big struggle this time around.
Wishing you all peace, health and happiness. Here’s to one year down, hopefully not much more to go!
Thanks for stopping by
To book a session or just to say hi, send me an email.
