I took the photo above at East Cobb Park back in November, on my birthday.
It was a nice treat to take a little time away from work and enjoy a warm-enough day that glistened with sunshine as the autumn colors emerged.
I’ve always felt fortunate to be able to celebrate the renewal of my birth (I turned 29 again!) as the season of hibernation approaches.
I enjoy immersing myself in what passes for the four seasons here in Georgia, although this fall took later than usual to arrive.
They’re timeless opportunities to reflect on what they signify for a particular moment in time, and for the last two years we have undoubtedly been living in momentous times.
As I write this, on New Year’s Day 2022, the temperatures are in the low 70s, and the sun is breaking through after a wet New Year’s Eve that included a tornado warning.
Luckily, the East Cobb area dodged that bullet, but the year that was 2021 clearly was determined to leave on a bizarre note.
This time a year ago, I was like so many others, glad to see the backside of 2020, which visited upon us a pandemic, closures, chaos and uncertainty.
Far too many people in our community experienced illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, as well as the destruction of work, schooling, civic, religious and social life caused by the shutdowns and restrictions.
The year 2021 had to be better, I thought, knowing that the changing of a calendar year was mostly symbolic.
But after the champagne toasts were made and the final chords of Auld Lang Syne faded away, 2021 roared on like it was still 2020.
Three educators in the Cobb County School District had died over the holidays, and in January the Cobb school board heard an earful from the public—teachers, students and parents—afraid and wondering what would be done during a massive surge in infections.
As I wrote then, their concerns were met with silence.
At the same time, the first COVID-19 vaccines became available, but the local health department website designed to book appointments crashed, and vaccine supplies were limited.
Older people called and left messages with me, mistaking this publication for the health department. Their voices were desperate and frantic; some just wanted to talk to a human on the telephone in an age of being forced to do so many things online.
It was absolutely harrowing to hear, as I felt utterly helpless.
A month later, people close to me were getting infected, one seriously enough to be hospitalized for several weeks.
It was touch and go for a while, and while I’m not terribly religious, I prayed for him to recover, and he thankfully has done that.
Throughout these last 20 months or so, I’ve tried to find silver linings, both personally and as the publisher of East Cobb News.
Warnings to avoid large gatherings indoors prompted many people to get outside.
I’ve spent many outings at East Cobb Park and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, but they took on a new importance in the pandemic.
People offer a smile, faces uncovered, as they walk their dogs, and on occasion stop to chat. A woman who brings her feisty Pomeranian to East Cobb Park on Sunday afternoons has become a new acquaintance.
There’s a friendliness that’s not only refreshing, but restorative to one’s well-being.
When I’ve felt the depths of posting continuously grim stories about the virus—we’re now on our third surge in the last year—readers have helped pull me through.
It’s been gratifying to get messages of appreciation for the information—related to COVID-19 or otherwise—that’s important to the community.
Our traffic figures reflect some of that, but the calls, text messages and e-mails you send me are like a shot in the arm—no pun intended.
I can’t tell you how much your kind words, support and encouragement have meant to me.
And I want to keep hearing from you as 2022 is here.
Perhaps I’m more hopeful than I should be, but I really am starting to see more than just a few silver linings as we approach two years of the COVID-19 era.
We’re not out of the woods yet, but when I hear from friends and family members who live in other parts of the country where crippling government shutdowns and mandates are still in effect, I feel grateful to live where I do, and to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of this community.
Before the pandemic began, I surveyed readers on what they would like to see from East Cobb News in 2020.
Little did any of us know what was to transpire, and for how long. Shortly I will be sending out a new survey to solicit public feedback on how this publication can better serve you, in these very altered times.
Please look for that in the next couple of weeks, and as always, feel free to reach out: wendy@eastcobbnews.com and 404-219-4278.
Happy New Year East Cobb!
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