By Carly Silver
Harlequin Romantic Suspense Associate Editor Carly Silver takes us on her journey through the past year, looking forward and the power of holding on to what was gained.
Like fellow editor Julia Williams, the way I’ve kept myself active during the past year has been walking. To the park, to the river, to the grocery store, to meet friends, to stare at pigeons. Jogging? Nope, not going to happen. I’ve walked along at varying degrees of speed, ranging from plodding to speed-striding, through most corners of my neighborhood and its environs.
Thankfully, I’ve gotten both of my vaccinations now. At this point, where do I go from here? Do I hold my breath and rejoin a gym (staying masked up, of course) and pack myself into a group of sweating people to use a stationary bike or cross trainer? Or do I continue retreading the same paths well into 2021?
I want to move forward, but this lingering fear brought on by the pandemic will long outlast this period, I fear. But is that entirely a bad thing? When offices eventually reopen, we’ll be circling one another warily, rightfully skeptical of getting too close, no matter the precautions. But I’ll have to battle natural hesitancy and concerns with my genuine desire to relate to my coworkers and feel like I’ve rejoined my team once again.
Life will never really be the “same” again for anyone, so I can’t say I won’t be cautious while “resuming” a prior existence. However, I don’t feel I should discard the lessons I learned during this past year. In fact, the very nature of having to tread and retread those same blocks day in and day out has shown me that I’m far more resilient than I’ve given myself credit for in the past. No matter what opportunities may open up—gyms, offices, reunions, and whatnot—I still have the routine I created for myself to rely upon. And that’s good to know.
