It was an exceptionally lovely week in the GTA with summer-like conditions all week. It’s like it was Spring for about 5 minutes and transitioned right into summer. No complaints here! Let’s hope it lasts.
It’s no secret that the sunshine and warmth have a way of uplifting spirits. No matter what you might be going through, sunlight brings about a calming and peaceful sensation.
One drawback though has been the super high pollen count. My allergies have been through the roof lately! If you suffer from seasonal allergies, then you know how bad it can be in the mornings. I lose count of how many times I sneeze in succession! Achoo! I try not to take medication so I let it run its course in the mornings and then it usually subsides, but this time around it’s been especially brutal.
Taking walks has been especially pleasant as well. The other day, a lady walked past me and made a point to say hello as she was walking by. I feel like you don’t see this too often so I was humbled by it. It’s those random acts of kindness that have a way of lifting your mood.
It also does feel like we are finally moving on from COVID being the central focus of our lives. I no longer get the daily news alerts of the latest infection rate and Toronto’s state of emergency order was also recently lifted – though to be quite honest, I never realized we were still under one this entire time. And now we don’t have to tip-toe around sharing the news of being infected by COVID – it’s almost become common knowledge – yet another thing that has integrated into our lives that we must learn to live with.
Also, this just in – the Leafs lost…again. *insert deep sigh* Now, I’m not going to pretend for a second that I’m a legit hockey fan, however, fan/follower or not, the Leafs advancing in the playoffs in any capacity is a small win. And if the day ever comes that we win the Stanley cup again, rest assured, the pandemonium would dwarf what we saw in 2019 when the Raptors won the NBA championship. (Even that already feels like it was so long ago!)
Sadly, it once again wasn’t meant to be this year for our Leafs. Mitch Marner was quoted as saying, “We are getting sick and tired of feeling like this” which speaks to the continuous frustration of repeated defeat.
Hopefully, they come back stronger and more resilient next year. I may be a bandwagoner, but I truly mean the best for them.
And while COVID and its family of variants are no longer eating up the headlines, there is continued unrest and strife around us, locally and on a global scale. Just today there was a report of gunfire breaking out at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York resulting in 10 fatalities. Why? Are people no longer safe doing their weekly grocery run? Do we need to constantly watch over our backs while waiting for the subway? It’s truly unsettling. All we can do is be extra cautious and vigilant when we are out.
Take care and stay safe.
Sarah Warsi 