GO AHEAD, HUG THE KID!

By

Gerry Niskern

All my fellow grandparent friends are saying the same thing. “When I finally received my shot I felt like a dark cloud had been lifted off me!”

Everyone of them went on the say,  “I feel like I’ve lost an entire year. Big chunks of life are gone forever. Babies have grown into toddlers. Birthdays and Christmas has come and gone without the family being together. Important graduations have been missed.”

All my sentiments exactly. I wake up in the morning now and think, ‘One more shot in two weeks and then I can socialize again.’ It’s a wonderful feeling. I think, like many friends, I had just kind of shut down my emotions. It didn’t do any good to complain about the masks, distancing, and just not seeing people “up close and personal.”

Most of all, I’m grateful. I’m grateful for the three vaccines that have been made available thru the diligent work of scientists. I’ve had other vaccines in my lifetime, starting with the one required before I could enter first grade. That one left a big scar!

My kids had all the vaccines required for newborns and boosters later. The Salk polio vaccine was a welcome one for sure. Back then, if your child ran a fever and the doctor couldn’t diagnose it right away, the overwhelming fear was polio.  We’ve all had many vaccines and took them for granted, but this one was different. We had to wait for it to be developed and then wait again for it to be available.

My first thought this morning was, ‘Easter is coming!’ I can actually look forward to a family holiday again. I can see the entire family,  even part of the family that I haven’t been able see for months.  I can visit my favorite coffee place, have a friend over or meet them for lunch.

When I see everyone, I’ll be smiling and I look forward to the day happy smiles can be seen again.

And yes, you can go ahead and hug that grandkid!