The saying used to be “Everything in moderation”. Now I wonder if anything is in moderation. It’s been a long evolution, but many things are becoming more absolute. The middle ground of politics has all but been abandoned. And in most social causes, we are forced to pick a side. If you are not with us, you are against us.
There will be a few silver linings that come out of this pandemic. Many won’t be apparent until we have a few years in the rearview mirror to see what sticks. I’m personally betting that the Work From Home movement will be tempered once people have the opportunity to return to the office. Maybe though, moderation will be one of the things that makes a comeback. We are at a point where a small party of a handful of friends is cherished when the guest list used to be a roomful. Small meals outdoors at a favorite restaurant are savored as a special occasion.
There will, no doubt, be moments once the cloud of COVID clears where we will collectively rush into the proverbial town square to be with our friends and neighbors. We’ll take the trips we’ve been putting off and find any excuse to run to the store. Maybe though, just maybe, we’ll still have those moments were we take a pause and relish the simple things in our day. The soft rain on the rooftop or a quiet dinner with a small group. As for political moderation…I’ll settle for having the argument in person over a shared meal.