On June 13, my boys will be fully vaccinated.

This wandering, weaving path of 457 days–from “early quar” to mask mandates and sanitizer shortages, from no soccer and Zoom school to today’s in-person last day–it’s been a lot. I’ve lost seven people I loved (though none from Covid). I told some friends that I feel like I’m only held together with skinny rubber bands and scotch tape.

But it’s also been full of dinners at home and sitting on the porch, playing with our birds, and watching new Marvel worlds on TV, daily walks in the neighborhood and paddle boarding at Lake MacBride, ASL lessons with Amy and VCFA video chats.

There was a chrysalis invitation in there somewhere. I don’t want to ignore it. I don’t want to just get down to business or go “back” to “normal.”

So I’m taking a summer pilgrimage to find my way to a new normal.

Starting June 14, I’m going to wander my way through 457 km. In the spirit of wandering, I’ll walk or skip, run or paddle, bike or dance through it. Also in the spirit of wandering, I will update irregularly, if at all.

If you’re looking for a way to reflect and move purposefully into what comes next, to mark the end of this season and the start of the new, feel free to come along in whatever way makes sense to you.