Keen On Retirement

Back when we were all living in quarantine, many of us saw celebrating the 4th of July as a short-term goal. If we all did our part to keep ourselves and our communities safe, maybe fireworks, parades, and backyard BBQs could mark the return to normalcy we were all craving.

As our country starts reopening, it’s become clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be one of those generational “before and after” moments. Just like travel and public security were never the same after 9/11, COVID-19 is going to change how we gather in public, how we assess and prepare for new viruses, how our children and grandchildren learn, and how companies of all sizes do business.

Far below the concerns we’re all feeling for our nation’s health care system, the millions of unemployed workers, and the strength of our economy, there’s a growing list of smaller ways that Covid-19 has negatively affected our lives. I sure wish I could be tuning into Royals games right now, but will there even be baseball this year? Is the NBA going to finish its season?

A few weeks ago, I don’t think many folks had heard the phrase “social distancing.” But now, maintaining safe, hygienic spaces that help limit the spread of the coronavirus is just a part of our lives.

When it comes to tending to your marriage, Valentine’s Day is one of the easiest days of the year. Cook a nice meal, go to a nice restaurant, buy a dozen roses, and all the hassle that goes into running your family and earning a living melts away.

But you can’t talk about the holidays without acknowledging that it can be stressful having so much family under one roof! Once you’re done catching up, playing with the little ones, eating, and opening gifts, it’s inevitable that conversation will drift to some topics that folks have very strong and very different opinions about.