January 1, 2022

It is afternoon on New Year’s Day. It’s always interesting to decide if I have anything to write about. When I was driving for LYFT it was easy. The stories showed up in my car. It was often the case that I had four or five customers that lit up my imagination. COVID stopped my Lyft driving, so in the mean time I have tried to share stories of where the ordinary reveals the extraordinary. People, places, events, all provided a point of reflection. I was thinking about exactly two years ago. I did a little LYFT driving, game watching, and planning out my year.
We all know what happened in 2020. Those days are long gone. For many 2021 held a lot of optimism. Some talked about a new normal. You all know how that worked out. We probably each have our own list how 2021 was not normal. For me, my Breakthrough Delta Variant 18 day hospitalization tops my list—it beat out the attempted coup by a band of pretend patriots.
So I just got a phone call from my daughter Amy. They were getting ready to leave on a 7–day beach vacation road trip to Florida. My son-in-law Christian, tested positive for Covid. They have to cancel their trip. Mind you, they are all vaccinated. Amy said, “I know we have to do what we would expect others to do… and I don’t like it”. This stuff seems relentless. So instead of Daytona Beach it will be another week of ‘staycation’.
This past day we got a beautiful 8” snow-globe style snow. Things out my window look pristine. Two days ago, I was watching our bird feeders go parallel in a 100 mph windstorm. I read on my phone alert of grassfires in Boulder county, six miles to our north. Today the report came that 991 homes were burnt into their basements just over the hill from me. The paradox of the purity of the snow and a firestorm disturbs.
I am by nature a hopeful and optimistic guy. I remain so. However, I understand the only anecdote for living through this “crack the historical whip” life we are now dealing with, is to be in the present moment. I think that is one of the things I loved about LYFT driving—each and every ride required me to be present to what was. The app gave directions to where, and my job was to be safe and present.

So here it is a brand new year— I will try to be grateful and present and set expectations aside.
Onward and Upward, Mark