Barefoot in the sand

Feeling stuck, Bella?

As the pandemic continues, I bet most of us are feeling the same way.

The summer was solemn. Quiet. Reflective. We made the best of it, of course, but it wasn't the summer anyone was hoping for. Typically the summer months are a chance for Kiera and I to finally forget about colds, the flu, and other such things that keep us anxious regarding Bella's health. The summer is our big chance to let down our guard.

We socially-distance every winter (regardless of Covid-19), and this spring and summer was basically an extension of our winter routine (but with even more restrictions).

Limited visits to see family, only outdoor hangouts, and no physical contact. No hand-holding, no hugs or kisses from Bella's grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. It was a real shame, and it had a profound impact on all of us, whether we realized it or not.

Love from a distance can be unbearable and heartbreaking, and unfortunately a lot of families found themselves in similar situations.

Besides that, everything felt so strange this summer. The masks. The rules. The distancing. The way people interacted with one another. The overall uncertainty that followed you with every passing day.

Learning to accept and adapt to this new reality was the biggest obstacle everyone faced.

Some days would offer the perfect distraction. An activity. A trip. A temporary thrill. You'd forget about the craziness of the world by getting swept up in some fun. Those were great days, of course.

But in spite of those good days, the very next day could turn out to be the complete opposite. You could be swallowed into hopelessness, and you wouldn't even know why or how.

The emotional ups and downs were draining. They were a huge test of mental strength and spiritual resilience. We had no choice but to grind it out, much like the rest of the world.

Arabella loves the Toronto zoo. It's our favourite place to hang out. So when it opened up again in July we were excited to head back and experience all of the wonderful things we missed.

It was was fun, but it wasn't quite the same, you know?

Barricades, one-way paths, closed attractions, sanitizing stations - we were constantly reminded that things were far from normal. It was like that almost everywhere you went.

We needed more distractions...

So that's exactly what we did.

We went everywhere we could just to get lost in some fun.

Petting zoos, for instance.

Bella was obsessed with donkeys this summer. She just had to bring her donkey figurine to show the real donkey.

We hit the local beaches.

Bella got her first taste of yoga, and loved holding poses with mom.

Lots of car naps.

Plenty of activities at home.

Spaghetti faces 😁. Bella started to enjoy eating a little more this summer, which was a pleasant surprise to us.

Playtime at the local parks.

Lots of nature hikes.

Lots and lots and LOTS of nature hikes!

Best of all, towards the end of August we got a chance to go on a week-long cottage vacation up north. It's the same cottage we always visit every year (usually with Bella's grandparents). Due to the pandemic, however, it was only the three of us this year.

Even though we were by ourselves, we had a great time. It was just what we needed. This is where we really broke away from the world. An opportunity to unwind and re-calibrate.

So we did what we do best. We got lost in the activities.

We got lost in the sand.

The vast wilderness.

Got lost in one another.

We made a ton of great memories.

And made some new friends too.

We disconnected from the outside world and got a chance to look deep within ourselves.

It wasn't the summer anyone was hoping for, but it had it's share of wonderful moments. Most importantly, we all stuck together and made the best of a strange and sometimes difficult time.

I'll leave this post with a short video of the view from the cottage shoreline. I'll be dreaming about that view until next summer, where hopefully we can see it once again.