A taste of spring in a pandemic

Written April 25, 2020

T suggested we enjoy a nice day, which NYC spring likes to sprinkle in here and there before ditching spring entirely and embracing a tropics-like summer, and lunch outside. Columbia's campus has been our neighborhood backyard and a safer place to let the girls run around as it doesn't have the crowds that some of the parks do, especially on nice days.

We found a nearly empty Columbia, a table in the sun and for 10 minutes, we got to be together, outside, with naked faces. Chewing and masks just don't go hand and hand, and since we had no competition whatsoever, and we had wiped down the table, we could comfortably have lunch, just like we would have done six months ago without giving it a second thought. It was just for a little while but it was the taste all of us needed to remind ourselves that this too shall pass, even though up our way, it's going to be awhile.

To our NYC friends and neighbors, we thank you for your diligence, your mask-wearing, and your patience as you pretended not to hear our squeals, squalls and meltdowns and gave us our space to run out our energy and to bask in an outdoor lunch together. I sense you too had checked the weekend weather and knew tomorrow we're back to true NYC spring with a high of 49 and of course, rain.

So as we go forward, we’re grateful that we’re in this together, for as long as this takes.