Now on to 2023

As we look back on 2022, it is worth reflecting on what we gained and what we lost — and I don’t just mean pounds! 2022 was supposed to be the year we got out of the pandemic, returned to normal and moved past the isolation and pain of the prior years. But that was not to be. Still, there were some signs of hope as the year ended.

It was March of 2020 when our choir was rehearsing for a St. Patrick’s Day concert. We were happily tapping our feet and looking forward to beer and treats in the bar. Our concert was unceremoniously  and swiftly cancelled, and shortly after that, we learned of the new virus sweeping the world – COVID-19. We knew very little about COVID at that time. Scientists were still trying to figure out what it was, how to manage it, and how to treat patients who got it. We all went through 2020 and the subsequent several years learning new things about COVID, sometimes contradicting what we thought we knew before. Washing produce and packages and hands came first. Masks took way too long to catch hold, but we finally understood other than vaccines, masks were the best way we could stay safe.

The summer of 2021 brought a decline in cases, and we all thought we might be past the riskiest time. But along came something called Omicron and we realized that COVID had not gone away. We didn’t need to wash our grocery bags, but we were hoping that the vaccinations and boosters could control its spread.

What we never really fully comprehended was the backlash we would have against the simplest of safety measures. Wearing or not wearing a mask became a political statement. If you wore one, you were assumed to be politically liberal; if you did not, you were likely to be a conservative. What didn’t seem to stick was the fact that Republicans living in Red States were becoming infected and dying at a much higher rate than Democrats. The far right conspiracy theorists didn’t seem to like that fact, and the blame continued to be placed on Democrats.

It soon became apparent that we were going to have to live with this virus, even though it seemed to stay in our system much longer than any prior virus we had experienced. “Long COVID” became a term we heard about in the news and learned about from our friends. Fatigue, brain fog, trouble breathing all became common after-effects of the virus, and treatments were far and few between. Most of us got the general Flu virus vaccine as we always had, but the trust in vaccines had diminished considerably. So had the trust in science, which taught us new things every week. The whole premise of science — that you test and change and learn as a result of those tests — became a matter of suspicion. How can we trust scientists when they tell us one thing this month and another the next?

Weary of masks and weary of isolation, we all entered 2022 with more than a little trepidation. What we had learned seemed to change almost every month. Being able to eat outside in California was nice when the weather was warm, but we wondered if we would ever be able to sit in those cozy booths in our favorite restaurant. There were few choirs in 2022; some musical events could be attended with masks, but it seemed like we would have to wear masks forever when we left home. Some of us ventured out to travel, and some came back untouched by the virus. Others not so much.

The truth is that we have learned a lot about COVID-19, much of it in 2022. Good research takes time, and the double blind, gold standard research that is the only way we can understand something like COVID began to reveal some helpful results this year. We learned that the virus was definitely airborne; that some could be exposed and never test positive(although we still don’t know why); that the virus could lodge in our lungs and other organs and could cause long term damage; that masks definitely worked, particularly the good ones (KN95), but they needed to be placed and kept over the nose, not under it; that masks did not reduce our intake of oxygen even if they felt uncomfortable; and that our eyes became our major way of communicating emotions.

We also learned and gained some positive things in 2022. We learned we could stay inside and still have social connections through the internet, phones, and carefully planned get togethers. We learned how to avoid the worst “super spreader” events like big gatherings and concerts, but to wear good masks if we attended. We learned the value of friendship and the importance of reaching out to friends frequently, not just occasionally. We did lose some friends and family members along the way, but we became even closer to the ones that remained as time went by.

Now we face 2023. It looks like there will be new variants and new surges as winter forces us inside more often. But I feel we are stronger and better equipped this time to deal with the challenges. I am hopeful that we will learn even more this year about this virus and how to live with it. I hope we can still travel and be with friends, even while we are being more careful. New scientific discoveries like the fusion breakthrough last week, that could eventually help us rely much less on fossil fuels, are encouraging about the future, as are the many space adventures we will experience as we set our sights on the Moon and Mars. 2022 may have restricted us in some ways, but there have been many exciting discoveries that should make us very hopeful about the future. (Here is a fascinating set of charts about 2022 you might want to check out

Some of the things that I thought were best about 2022 included: the sharing of insights with Nancy and Dinah and all of you on this blog; keeping my weight down; yoga and physical therapy that have helped my back a lot; watching some great shows on Netflix and Amazon Video like The Crown and Good Eats; getting to play the Steinway Grand Piano downstairs when no one is around; having my daughter and grandson close by for frequent visits; watching our grandkids grow into sweet and generous young adults; my husband’s never failing sense of humor; and not getting Covid-19!

What was best for you in 2022?