After a few unseasonably warm days, Thursday dawned as a gift. Sunlight tempered a cooling breeze; clouds diffused too-harsh light; nature seemed to be rejoicing in the revelry of spring.
It was, in a word: Perfect.
My journey on that day took me down a familiar walking path at a nearby park, past little league baseball games and parents watching soccer practices. Happily, I noticed the athletes were competing without masks, free to breathe in the gorgeous weather uninhibited by a layer of fabric.
I can personally attest that masks are a nuisance in competition. For the first time since my senior year of high school (roughly a decade ago), I’m playing baseball this year in a local wooden bat league.
As the nation reemerges from a year behind plexiglass and polypropylene, I find myself grateful for the little things: Like birds hiding in bushes; freshly cut grass; the way sunlight filters through a young maple tree; a perfect day.
The inconveniences and hardships society has endured since the pandemic began have acted as a mental reset.
Between stay-at-home orders and temporarily shuttered offices, many of us spent a lot more time at home than usual. The respite allowed everyone to take a collective breath and step away from the hectic busyness of western society.
Now, as we return to a sense of normalcy, we’re presented with an opportunity: Do we revert to the chaotic lifestyles of the past or do we forge a new and slower future?
One way or another, I’m sure that life will eventually pick up to a speed at least somewhere near its previous pace. But when it does, I hope that society can carry forward some of the lessons that have been learned and earned through this period of challenge: Busier doesn’t equal better. Personally, I intend to continue to pursue the activities that bring me lasting joy — habits I cultivated over this last year of persistent quarantine — like regular walks/jogs through nature, playing music and baseball.
Consider this a manifesto: I’m going to stop to appreciate the roses along the way.
Andy Castillo can be reached at acastillo@recorder.com.